Forbidden Memories and Endless Dreams
by asuka02redeva
Summary: *completed* (Y/A) Yami knows a great evil is coming and has to make a decision.
1. Default Chapter

Asuka02RedEva  
Serenitymoon@lycos.com  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi Oh! or any of the characters used in this story  
  
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Jou, Honda, and Bakura had split off from Anzu and Yami after Yami had just finished a duel to go find food for the evening.   
  
Yami stood with his back to Anzu as he watched the slowly setting sun. So much had happened during the past few months...Yuugi had been completely changed by the presence of Yami and every time he felt Yami's presence he would become stronger and confident. Now though, Yuugi had felt this presence much more and Yami was slowly regaining his memories of the past. Yuugi was having a much harder time controlling his actions.   
  
Anzu watched Yami. 'He seems so different...he's changed...and it's as if there are two Yuugi's.' She studied the adolescent in front of her. '...This Yuugi is so confident and brave...he won't let anything stop him...' She found a small blush creep across her cheeks. 'This Yuugi is---'  
  
"Anzu?"  
  
Anzu blinked and her blue eyes met Yami's crimson eyes.   
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Are you alright?" Yami approached her.   
  
Anzu looked down with a blush. "I'm fine...I'm just wondering when Jou and the guys will be back is all."  
  
"Oh..." Yami sounded a little disappointed with her reply and looked over to his left, past her.  
  
She noticed the slight sound of disappointment in his voice and looked up, resting her gaze on his face and watched his eyes. Yami felt Anzu's gaze rested on him and looked back at her, then he walked towards her and sat down along side of her.  
  
Anzu was a little startled by the closeness between her and Yami.  
  
"Anzu...do you ever feel lost? Like part of you is missing?"  
  
The question had taken her completely by surprise.  
  
'What is Yuugi talking about?,' she wondered to herself. "Well...whenever I feel lost I turn to my friends...because I know they will always help me find my way."  
  
"Friends...of course..."  
  
Anzu noticed a bit of doubt in his voice. This wasn't like Yuugi...was he doubting his friends? "Yuugi, you know all of us will always be there for you." She smiled at him and winked. "..And you always have me. After all, we've been friends since childhood."  
  
Anzu then blinked and was caught of guard when Yami reached over and placed his hand over hers and held it.  
  
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Meanwhile Jou, Honda, and Bakura's dinner plans had been put on hold...Jou had been challenged to a duel and because he wanted to prove to Honda that he COULD pull off a duel, and win without Yuugi's guidance.  
  
"Jou, it's not too late to pull out!," yelled Honda.  
  
"Keep quiet! I'll show you I can do this!"  
  
Honda and Bakura exchanged uneasy glances then turned back to cheer Jou on.  
  
"Go Flame Swordsman!"  
  
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Anzu could feel here heart beating fast as Yami held her hand. What was wrong with her she wondered. 'This is Yuugi...why is it so strange? Why am I acting like this?'  
  
"Anzu....I'll always be there for you as well..."  
  
Anzu felt her cheeks redden and her face become warm.  
  
"Where do you think Jou and the others are?!," she yelled nervously. "...I...mean....it's getting late and I'm hungry."  
  
Yami smiled and then noticed how red Anzu's face was and moved his hand. "I'm sure they will be back soon..you know Jou, he probably is making sure we have enough food."  
  
"I guess you're right. It's not like he's stupid enough to go duel before bring back our dinner."  
  
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"Jou! You need to focus! You can't afford to screw up now!," yelled Honda.  
  
"He's right! One wrong move and you'll lose this match for sure.," states Bakura.  
  
'Gee guys, thanks for the vote of confidence. Better play time wizard...'  
  
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Yami sweatdropped... "No...he wouldn't do that..." He smiled a fake smile. 'At least I hope he wouldn't...I wouldn't want to test Anzu's appetite.' "On second thought why don't we go look for him and the others?"  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
Yami stood up first and offered his hand to Anzu. She took his hand and he pulled her up to her feet. She stumbled forward and landed in his embrace.  
  
"Are you alright, Anzu?"  
  
Anzu's head was down as Yami held her in his arms. A blush was hidden by her short brown hair.   
  
"F-fine....," she stuttered nervously. 'What's with me anyways? It's just Yuugi...but he seems to different...almost like there really are two of him.'  
  
Yami looked down at the girl in his arms. It was no secret that Yuugi was in love with Anzu. A smile played on his lips as he watched her.  
  
"We should get going Anzu, if we want to find them before dark."  
  
Anzu's blush brightened as she moved away from him. She watched him start off towards the dirt path Jou and the others had taken, and followed after him shortly.  
  
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that's it for now. =^.^= ja ne 


	2. chapter 2

Asuka02RedEva  
serenitymoon@lycos.com  
*Silver Fang holds disclaimer sign in his mouth*  
  
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Night was falling and Yami and Anzu had searched all over the area, the nearby woods included.  
  
"Where did those guys go?," asked Anzu getting a bit worried and exhaust evident on her features.  
  
Yami could sense her worry and tried to sense Jou and the others. "Take a break Anzu, it's obvious you're upset and getting tired."  
  
"But---"  
  
He cut her off. "We'll look again in a little while..."  
  
She sighed already defeated and sat down on the green grass to rest for a few minutes before starting the search once more.  
  
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"Jou, hang in there! You're life points are down to 400!," yelled Honda.  
  
'Like I didn't already know that.,' thought Jou as he looked over the cards in his hand.  
  
His opponent had been able to counter every play Jou had made.  
  
'I wish Yuugi was here...no...can't think like that, I need to beat this guy on my own.'  
  
"Remember what Yuugi is always telling you about the heart of the cards, Jou!," yelled Bakura.  
  
"Right...trust in the cards..." Jou closed his eyes and drew the first card on the top of his deck. He slowly held up the card and opened his eyes...  
  
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Yami stood a few feet in front of Anzu, his back to her. His eyes were closed as he could sense Jou and the tension in the air.  
  
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Jou looked at the card in his hand. 'I can't remember what this card does! Where's Yuug when I need him?!'  
  
"Don't give up Jou!," encouraged Honda.  
  
"You can still win!," cried Bakura.  
  
'No...I can't do it! I can't remember what this card does! I just can't do it without Yuug this time. It's over....'  
  
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Anzu noticed a golden light surrounding Yami. She arched an eyebrow watching him from behind.  
  
'What's going on? Am I imaging things?'  
  
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'I've lost...I'm so sorry sis.,' thought Jou in defeat.  
  
Suddenly.......  
  
'Jounouchi...you CAN win this duel. You know what that magic card does. Trust in yourself and the cards.'  
  
'Yuugi?!' Jou looked around quickly. 'Must have been my imagination....'  
  
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The eye of Horus shown brightly on Yami's forehead as he stood in front of Anzu still, his eyes closed....  
  
'Jounouchi, trust in the cards...you're not going to loose if you trust in the heart of the cards...believe me...I know...'   
  
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'Yuugi's right...I just need to trust in the heart of the cards and trust in myself....now....this card...Ahah! I remember what it does!'  
  
Jou played his red eyes black dragon and then activated his copy cat magic card on the playing field. Now he could copy his opponents move. With one final blow from his red eyes Jou won the match.  
  
"Way to go, Jou!," yelled both Honda and Bakura.  
  
'I can't believe I won...it's all because of Yuugi too...'  
  
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'Yuugi did not do anything to help you, Jou....and neither did I....you believe in yourself and in the cards. I knew you would win anyways...'  
  
Yami slowly opened his eyes as the eye of Horus disappeared from his forhead. His eyes then met Anzu's. He blinked suddenly to find her standing in front of him.   
  
"Anzu?"  
  
She looked him over in confusement. 'Who are you?,' she wondered. 'You're not the Yuugi I know...so confident...and handsome...' She found her face feeling a tad warm. 'Where did THAT come from?! And what exactly is Yuugi's Millenium Puzzle?'  
  
"Anzu, Jou and the others are fine now...you don't have to worry anymore."  
  
Anzu blinked and then nodded her head, looking down...  
  
"Anzu, what's wrong?" Yami took his right hand and cupped her chin, while lifting her chin up so she made eye contact with him.  
  
Anzu became lost in Yami's eyes. They were so intense, it was as if she could feel his gaze burning into her soul.   
  
Yami watched her eyes. This was the girl that Yuugi loved...he found himself understanding why he loved her like he did...  
  
'Anzu...I....' He shook the thought from his mind. He couldn't possibly love her...not with things the way they were. Even if Anzu did express love, it wasn't for him but for Yuugi. 'I should be dead...yet this boy needs me. I only exist to protect him or fight his battles due to my experience...but...then I return to the puzzle where I live in solitude until the next time I'm summoned. How did I come to be in the Millenium Puzzle? Something tells me the memories await to be reborn in my mind, yet something blocks them...'  
  
Anzu noticed that the look in Yami's eyes had changed. The once cocky and confident adolescent now looked like he carried a great sadness inside of him.   
  
'He looks so sad and lost...I wonder what I can do to help?'  
  
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That's it for chapter two right now....chapter 3 will be up next week...so please stay tuned and review. Got comments? questions? ideas? let me know....  
  
~Asuka~ 


	3. chapter 3

Asuka02RedEva  
Serenitymoon@lycos.com  
*Silverfang holds up disclaimer sign in his mouth*  
  
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"You can't help me with this Anzu."  
  
Anzu blinked almost in shock. "H-How did you know?"  
  
Yami smiled at her still cupping her chin in his hand. 'I think you know Anzu...you're the only who does...'  
  
Anzu just stood there watching Yami's eyes. 'Know? Know what?'  
  
'That there is more to me than meets the eye.'  
  
Anzu felt like she was loosing it. How could Yuugi be reading her mind? 'His voice sounds similar to Yuugi's...but it's not the same.'  
  
/W-what are you doing?/  
  
//...No need to be embarrassed Aibou...//  
  
/...B-But.../  
  
//Alright...you win....//  
  
Yami let go of her chin and turned around walking a few feet from Anzu. When Anzu looked towards him he had turned back around facing her, he was back to being Yuugi. Yami had disappeared back into the puzzle.  
  
"Anzu! Let's go find Jou so we can eat...I'm hungry!," Yuugi smiled all happy like at her.  
  
Anzu blinked and just stared at Yuugi. The once confident and cocky adolescent that had stood before her moments ago was now gone. Now all that remained was the boy she had grown up with.  
  
"C'mon Anzu, let's go!" Yuugi had already started into the woods.  
  
It was getting dark and in a few minutes it would be pitch black. They would need to find the others quickly.  
  
"Yuugi, wait for me!," Anzu took off after him in the direction she had seen him disappear in.  
  
Yuugi continued through the wods. "Jou is this way...c'mon!," he yelled energetically.  
  
Suddenly heat lightning shot across the sky. Anzu jumped back at first. 'Easy Anzu....it's just a lil lightning.' She looked ahead to find Yuugi nowhere in sight. She could barely see anything. The moon was rising and the moonlight lit a path for her. "Yuugi? Where are you?"  
  
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Yuugi continued along the path looking for Jou and the others.  
  
//Aibou...//  
  
/Hmmm?/  
  
//Where's Anzu?//  
  
/...Right..../ He turned around. /..../  
  
//Right where???//  
  
/...Well...she WAS right here...at least I think she was.../  
  
//...Aibou....//  
  
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Just then a figure appeared in the shadows. "Yuugi, where have you been?" Anzu walked up to him and stood there with her hands on her hips.  
  
The figure turned around to reveal that he wasn't Yuugi but a tall man who looked rather rough around the edges.  
  
"Well, well, well...are you all alone cutie?"  
  
Anzu backed up slowly to put some space between herself and the man.  
  
"No, I'm not all alone, my friend is up ahead. He just walks faster is all."  
  
"Is that so? Well I haven't seen anyone." He smiled his eyes lingering on her as she stood in the moonlight. "Why don't you come with me? We could have some fun along the way."  
  
"No thank you...I'm fine..." Anzu started to walk past him when he grabbed her by the right arm.   
  
"But I insist that you come along with me sweetie."  
  
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/What is it?/  
  
Before Yami could answer he had emerged out of the puzzle and now stood where Yuugi once had. The eye of Horus appeared on his forhead while he closed his eyes.  
  
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Anzu managed to free her arm from the man's grasp.  
  
"No. I'll be leaving now to find my friend." She started to walk around him.  
  
"You just don't get it do you? I told you I would escort you...and it's very rude to object!" He pushed her back violently.  
  
Anzu's back was pushed against a large tree trunk. She winced at the pain that had followed from the impact.  
  
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With the eye of Horus still on his forhead, Yami took of running in Anzu's direction....  
  
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"Now, let's get going...it looks like it's going to start raining soon." He grabbed her by her right arm once more and started to lead her down the path.  
  
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that's it for now, please review!   
thanks to all reviewers it means so much! you know who you are!  
  
ja  
  
~asuka~ 


	4. chapter 4

Asuka02RedEva  
serenitymoon@lycos.com  
*Silver Fang holds up disclaimer sign*  
  
@-~~Thank you so very much to all of you who have reviewed and e-mailed me. Comments, suggestions, and ideas are always welcomed~~Please do not review if you do not like my story, personally it is a waste of your time and mine~~I am sorry that it has taken me so long to update but I have been loaded with homework~~Also sorry if this chapter is shorter than you would have liked~~Have a great day~~Ja! -@~~  
  
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The man continued to pull Anzu down the path as she struggled to free herself from his grip. She was in no mood for this and had no intention of having a little "fun" (as he had put it) with him of all people.   
  
"Let me go, you creep!," Anzu glared at him while she yelled.  
  
"Pretty ladies shouldn't make those kinds of faces you know--it's not nice." The man smirked and once more looked her over. "Now stop struggling and c'mon!"   
  
He gave her arm a hard yank causing her to stumble over a tree root, hidden by the dark, and fall to her knees.  
  
"You're turning out to be more trouble than your worth!" He violently proceeded to pull her up.  
  
"If she's too much trouble then why not let her go?"  
  
The man looked to his right to see what appeared to be a teenage boy standing in the shadows. His hands were in his pockets and his head titled down.  
  
"Who the hell do you think you are?! Trying to tell me what to do!," yelled them man as he let go of Anzu and faced the new comer.  
  
"...The question is not who am I, but what am I..."   
  
The man noticed that this boy was smirking at him. "You think this is funny? Just what the hell do you mean by that?!" The man was loosing his patients and quickly.  
  
"...Anzu...are you alright?," asked Yami as he looked down at her.  
  
Anzu held her arm for a moment, she appeared to be fine, just a little shooken up from having that guy grab her and all. "....I'm alright...Yuugi....," she stated with a small nod.  
  
Yami sighed a small sigh that went un-noticed by the man and Anzu. "...This girl is not your concern, you have no further need to here..."  
  
"Like hell I don't! I found her in the woods, and I was just being a gentleman and escorting her out of the woods." The man looked over to Anzu. "Right cutie?"  
  
Yami arched an eye brow. "Is this true, Anzu? Or did this guy hurt you?" The eye of Horus started to appear on his forhead, but he stopped it. '...For if it isn't...he will pay...'  
  
"....No....it's not true....I told him that I didn't want to go with him and he forced me...he started dragging me down the path...," replied Anzu as she stood up and brushed herself off.  
  
"You bitch!" The man threw his arm back to slap her hard across her face. "Wh-what???"  
  
Yami held the man by his wrist, standing in front of Anzu. As he looked at the man an evil purple fire seemed to be in his eyes, along with an evil aura that seemed to appear around him.  
  
"H-how....did you?," the man questioned almost in shock as he watched Yami.  
  
Anzu opened her eyes to find that she hadn't been hit. She looked in front of her to find Yami shielding her. 'How did he stop that man when he was way over there?'  
  
"Now...I'll ask you one more time to leave her alone...," Yami ordered calmly and cooly.   
  
The man pulled his arm free from Yami's grip and glared at him. "I still want the girl to come with me...it's going to start raining soon and we can't have her getting all wet now can we?"   
  
"We'll get out of the rain just as soon as you leave...or if you still insist...we could play a little game for her..." Yami smirked, the evil aura around him seeming to flare up at the idea of a game.  
  
"...You idiot!," the man bellowed. "Do you see an arena around here???"  
  
"...I did not say duel, baka--I said play a game..."  
  
"A game? What kind of game?" The man arched an eyebrow at this.  
  
"The game I have in mind is quite simple. If your up to it that is."  
  
"Is that so? Well then, you're on." The man looked Anzu over once more and rubbed his chin in thought.  
  
Anzu scowled and moved completely behind Yami to get out of the sight of the leering pervert. Yami noticed Anzu move behind him and then turned his attention back to the man in front of him.  
  
"Keep in mind, if you lose you will leave Anzu alone and never come near her again, or there WILL be hell to pay."   
  
"Anzu...that's a pretty name. Now, once I beat your little boyfriend at this game of his...why don't you and I continue what we started and have a little fun?"  
  
Anzu didn't know which thing the man had said to her to correct him on. One, Yami was NOT her boyfriend. Also, if he thought he was going to have a "good" time with her he had another thing coming to him.  
  
Yami looked at Anzu out of the corner of his eye. Usually he affected by something that a mere mortal would say, but the word boyfriend had caught his attention. ...And come to think of it, Anzu wasn't denying that he wasn't her boyfriend. Yami was really confused...  
  
'Is Anzu in love with...me?' The King of Games was actually in shock. This was not good...how would he tell Anzu that he wasn't the Yuugi she had grown up with? Not to mention how would this affect Yuugi? It wasn't like it was any secret how he felt about her after all.  
  
The man was practically flagging Yami down, wondering what in the world he was doing.   
  
Anzu blinked...for yes...our Yami...was in deed....blushing....  
  
"Um...Yuugi...aren't you going to play some sort of game?," asked Anzu. 'But wait...since when does Yuugi challenge people to anything other than duel monsters? ...Is he blushing?' She arched an eye brow at him.  
  
"Yo man, are you going to duel me or whatever for the chick, or do I just win automatically because you've changed your mind?"  
  
All that Yami had on his mind were the words "boy" and "friend". Now he may be old but he wasn't clueless as to modern day concepts and the hidden meanings to words.  
  
"Alright cutie, let's go find a place where you and I can go and get to know one another better."   
  
He moved his hand forward to grab Anzu by her left arm when Yami as fast as one may snap their fingers, intercepted by holding out his arm in front of Anzu.  
  
"I never said I was backing down. I was merely thinking of an appropriate game to play." The King of Games had made his recovery.  
  
"Alright then.," started the man. "Name your game so we can be done with this."  
  
"Alright there is only one rule to this game." Lightning flashed as Yami pulled out a knife from what almost appeared to be thin air.   
  
Anzu blinked wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her again.   
  
"Stand with your back against a tree..." Yami did just as he had said. "...and the first one to get hit looses. The only rule is that you cannot move or dodge the path of the knife." He then threw the knife at the tree where the man had his back rested against....  
  
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hope you enjoyed! let me know if you want more! please excuse spelling/punctuation errors i was hurrying!  
~Asuka~ 


	5. chapter 5

Asuka02RedEva  
serenitymoon@lycos.com  
*Silver Fang holds up disclaimer sign*  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The knife landed a few inches from the man's neck. Anzu had never seen this side of Yuugi before. He would never do anything that would endanger the life of another.   
The man gulped. Yami could sense how uncomfortable the man had become.  
  
'I didn't think his arm was that good.,' thought the man as he took hold of the knife pulling the blade out of the tree's trunk.  
  
Yami stood perfectly still as he waited for the knife to strike either him or the tree trunk. Anzu look on almost in shock. What if something happens to Yuugi? Could she live knowing that he was only trying to protect her from that lech? Before she had time to react she heard the knife's blade connect and when it did it made a small smacking noise. Her breath caught inside of her lungs for a moment until she allowed herself to make a sigh of relief when she saw the knife had landed a food away from Yami's head.  
  
'This guy obviously never tried out for the baseball team in high school.' Yami smirked as he took hold of the knife and held it in his right hand by its wooden handle. He then made his move to deliver the final blow.  
  
The man saw the look in Yami's eyes and began to sweat uncontrolably. 'He's going to kill me! What do I do?! I'll loose if I move...but...if I don't, I'll be hit in the chest or worse for sure! I know...when he throws it I'll move out of the way and before he can react I'll hit him and take the girl. It's been a long time since I've had a little fun with a pretty girl after all.'  
  
Anzu saw the look in Yami's eyes. He wasn't going to miss the man with the knife he held. She gasped feeling helpless as seh watched the knife leave Yami's hand.  
  
The man, however, did move out of the path of the knife...but when he went to reach for the handle of the knife, it had turned into a cobra. "AAAAH!" He quickly pulled his hand away. "Damn you! What is this?!"  
  
The eye of Horus showed clearly on Yami's forhead as he watched the man. HE did not look cocky or have any trace of a smirk on his face either. Instead, a dark purple fire seemed to flicker in his eyes as he stood there with his hands in his pockets. "I knew you would cheat..."  
  
"Damn right I cheated, but it doesn't matter, now does it?! What the hell happened to the knife? Where did that cobra come from?!"  
  
"You have opened the gate of darkness."  
  
"What?! The gate of what?!"   
  
Suddenly the vines of the tree became combras and entangled the man. "AAAAH!!!" He tried to free himself from their grasp, frantically, but his attempts were futile.   
  
Yami turned from him and walked past Anzu. Anzu watched the man who was now on the ground crying and holding his head in his hands.  
  
"...I'm scared...make it stop!!!," the man yelled.  
  
The King of Games had reduced the man to a sniveling baby...  
  
Anzu was extremely puzzled, there was nothing attacking him, whatsoever. "Yuugi! What's going on?!"  
  
"...He was not pure of heart...come along Anzu, it's late and we should find the others."  
  
Anzu noticed the look in Yami's eyes. 'This is NOT the Yuugi I grew up with...this is the one who saved me from the robber at Burger World. I remember his voice now....there really ARE two Yuugi's!"  
  
Anzu had no idea how this could be possible but she was determined to find out who this "other" Yuugi was...and why he made her have such strong emotions for him...  
  
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I hope that you enjoyed it! I'm trying to get 1 chapter out each week. Gomen Nasai if it's shorter than you like, but a short chapter is better than none at all. Please R/R and send questions, comments, etc.   
  
Ja ne  
  
~Asuka~ 


	6. chapter 6

Asuka02RedEva  
Serenitymoon@lycos.com  
*Silver Fang holds up disclaimer sign in his mouth*  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Konnichiwa! =^.^= I hope that all of you are well. Since my last chapter was SO short and many of you wished for MORE, I have decided that I would put this chapter out ahead of time. It is longer than the last one and I hope that as always you will all be kind enough to review. If you would like to be on the update list please send me an e-mail with the subject "F.M.E.D. list" and I will send you an e-mail whenever there is an update. I am trying to keep up with my story and school. If there is ever a week when I will not post a chapter I will definately inform you all. Thanks!  
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Yami walked a little ways ahead of Anzu, while she followed behind him quietly.  
  
'Who is he? What did he do to that man?'  
  
Yami sighed quietly. "Do I frighten you, Anzu?"  
  
Anzu blinked. "W-what?"  
  
"You seem uneasy around me now, Anzu...are you afraid of me because I showed that man his own base desires and turned them into his worst nightmares?"  
  
"...I....just don't understand how or why you did it is all...am I just imagining things?"  
  
Yami stood in front of her with his back to her. "No Anzu, you're not imagining things..."  
  
"Then please tell me what is going on." She walked forward so she now stood in front of him.  
  
Yami looked into her eyes and then placed his hand on her cheek. "I wish I could answer your questions Anzu...all I can tell you is that I would never hurt you..."  
  
Anzu blushed looking into Yami's eyes. 'I may not know exactly who he is but I trust him...' "Can I just ask you one question?"  
  
Yami rubbed her cheek softly with the side of his thumb. "You may ask me anything you wish."  
  
Anzu's blush deepened as she continued to watch Yami's eyes...how the looked so sad and lost....  
  
"Oh...I know you didn't mean to frighten me...I just have never seen this side of Yuugi before...or...of you. Who are you?"  
  
"I'm not Yuugi Mouto, if that's what you're asking. No...instead, I really do not know who I am."  
  
"What?" Anzu was so confused, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.  
  
"...Do not worry, Anzu..."  
  
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"Hey, Anzu! Hey, Yuugi!." Jou hollared as he and the others walked towards them.  
  
"You guys! Where have you been?! You wouldn't believe what happened!"  
  
"Whoa, hold on, Anzu...what's going on?," asked Honda.  
  
"This is not Yu---" she turned around to tell them that this was not the Yuugi they had known for so long...  
  
Yuugi stood where Yami once had...  
  
"What's up, Anzu?"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu just stared at Yuugi, who now stood in front of her...  
  
'How? I know...just a moment ago there was another Yuugi standing in front of me. He protected me from that creep. Where did he go? It must have something to do with Yuugi's Millenium Puzzle. Could it be true what Yuugi's grandfather once said about it belonging to an ancient Egyptian pharoah?' (this is a reference to the subbed anime) Her head was starting to hurt as all her thoughts ran together.   
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yuugi arched an eye brow at Anzu.   
  
/Yami, do you know what's wrong with Anzu?/  
  
//............//  
  
/Yami???/  
  
Yami did not always allow Yuugi to know everything that went on when he took over.   
  
//...I think it would be best if you leave Anzu to her thoughts, Aibou...for now there is nothing we can do for her...//  
  
/...I see...she'll be alright though, ne?/  
  
//She will be...just give her a while...//  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey Anzu, what was it that you were saying?," asked Jou scratching his head a bit.  
  
"It was...nothing...," she replied, still confused.  
  
"Can we eat now you guys?," asked Honda as his stomach began to growl.  
  
"Yeah, that reminds me, I'm starved.," informed Yuugi. "What about you, Anzu?"  
  
Anzu smiled down at Yuugi. "Sure...I'm hungry and you guys best have some food..."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jou grinned sheepishly. "We bumped into Mai on the way back...and she just happened to have some snacks...and she was nice enough to give us some...."  
  
"Actually Jou...," informed Bakura. "You sort of begged her for---" He was cut off short when Jou began to cover his mouth.  
  
"Ix-ney on the begging-say.," muttered Jou under his breath.  
  
Yuugi and the others smirked...  
  
"So you had to beg Mai, huh Jou?," teased Yuugi.  
  
"...Well...uh...sort of...oh c'mon! I got the grub, let's just eat!"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Soon after the five sat down and started pigging out on chips, snack packs, pepsi, you name it. (You all remember what Mai eats, don't you? Talk about a junk food junkie.)  
  
"Whoa...I'm stuffed..." Jou rested his back against a large rock.  
  
"Me too buddy." Honda rubbed his stomach.  
  
"I couldn't eat another bite...what about you, Anzu?," asked Yuugi.  
  
"No. I'm quite full.," she replied with a small smile.  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Suddenly a noise meant to be silenced filled the area. All turned to see a rather embarrassed Bakura holding his mouth shut.  
  
"....Excuse....me...."  
  
All broke out laughing and soon after let the came fire die down.  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Everyone was snug in their sleeping bags. Everyone but Anzu...she couldn't shake the feeling that this "other" Yuugi had something to do with the Millenium Puzzle. She crawled out of her tent to find Yami sitting next to the dead fire, moving the ashes with a stick.  
  
"I knew you would come...What is it you wish to ask me?"  
  
Anzu was completely shocked. She walked up to him and sat down along side of him on a fallen log.  
  
"It's alright Anzu...ask me...but like I said before, I may not know the answers you wish to hear..."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
please excuse any errors or typos~~that's it for this week! ja ne   
~Asuka~ 


	7. chapter 7

Asuka02RedEva  
serenitymoon@lycos.com  
*holds up disclaimer sign with help from Silver Fang* ^.^ such a cutie*  
  
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Hey peeps! How's it going? I heard back from a lot of you yesterday and thought that I would just have to post this chapter up. I really enjoy reading your comments and suggestions. Thank you so much. =^.^= I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend, be safe, and God bless...  
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Anzu found herself staring at Yami and focusing on his face entirely. 'He may not be the Yuugi that I grew up with ....but...there's something about him. He's so strong and courageous...I think I---,' her thoughts were cut short suddenly when she felt Yami's hand on hers. She looked into his eyes.  
  
"What is it you wish to ask me, Anzu?," he asked as he gave her hand a small squeeze.  
  
Anzu looked down to find his hand holding hers. She felt her heart speed up suddenly and then skip a beat. A small blush appeared on her cheeks.  
  
"Anzu?" Yami reached forward with his other hand and lifted her chin up, (cupping her chin with his hand). "You want to know who I am, is that correct? What you should call me? Who I am???"  
  
Anzu blinked. "H-how did you?"  
  
"A talent of mine I suppose, you could say..."  
  
"I don't understand....how can you not be Yuugi?"  
  
"I've been called many things over the years...you may call me, Yami."  
  
"...Yami...." She blushed at the sound of his name.  
  
"Hai, that is correct, Anzu. My name is Yami; I am not Yuugi Mouto...but please don't worry, I would never harm him in any way. You believe me, don't you?"  
  
"...I do..." 'I don't know WHY I do; hell I don't even understand what is going on...but I trust him...'  
  
Yami half smiled and moved his hand away from her chin. "...I'm glad, Anzu....I'm afraid that I can't really tell you must more....only that I exist to protect the one you call Yuugi Mouto..."  
  
"Then the story is true! You're the spirit in the Millenium Puzzle!?" 'Whoa! That means he's the pharoah who sacrificed his soul to save the world 5,000 years ago!' She blinked suddenly.  
  
Yami had a very curious look on his face as he arched an eyebrow. "You know about the Millenium Puzzle, Anzu?"  
  
Anzu blinked once more 'Wait, why does he seem so curious??? If he IS the pharoah that Yuugi's grandpa was speeking of...then is it possible that he has no recollection of his past?'  
(For anyone who has NOT seen the subbed, in the first episode GM *grandpa mouto* tells Yuugi and Anzu about the puzzle and how it contains the dark and evil wisdom and powers of the games of darkness, which belonged to a mighty pharoah 5,000 years ago....he goes on to speak of Yami....)  
  
"Anzu?," Yami repeated. "Do you know something about the puzzle?"  
  
"...Only what Yuugi's grandfather told me once...that there was a might pharoah who..."  
  
The rest of Anzu's words were lost to Yami as the word "Pharoah" kept repeating itself in his mind.   
  
'Pharoah? A pharoah...Egypt...Why does it seem so familiar?' Yami looked up at her. "Anzu, do you know anything else about this pharoah? What was his connection to the Millenium Puzzle?"  
  
'He...doesn't....know??? Nani?! How can he NOT know?!' "....The pharoah had the puzzle made over 5,000 years ago...protecting the world from some sort of evil...'  
  
'Evil? Dating back to Ancient Egypt?' A flash ran through his mind...  
  
~~~ "I cannot allow evil to take over...I have no choice but to seal it away forever.," states a voice. "...I may not survive...but at least my power will be great enough to stop it..."~~~  
  
Yami suddenly heard Anzu's voice and came back to the present...  
  
"Yuug...I mean...Yami, are you alright?"  
  
"I'll be fine. What happened to this pharoah?"  
  
"...I guess...he was too weak after his battle that he was near death. I recall something about in order to seal the evil and make sure that it was never released again, he..."  
  
"What did he do? Please Anzu, you have to tell me."  
  
"...He sealed his soul inside of the Millenium Puzzle..."  
  
'Puzzle? Sealed his soul?' Another flash ran through his mind.  
  
~~~"...With the last of my power...I must protect this world...time...is running out for me...," the voice states as he slowly places the puzzle in front of him.~~~  
  
"Yami?" Anzu noticed that he was just staring out into space once more.  
  
'I...I sealed...my soul...' He looked up at Anzu once more. "Anzu....I'm that pharoah..."  
  
"....Hai..." She looked down not knowing what else to say.  
  
"...I had an actual memory..." He smirked. "...and I have you to thank for it."  
  
A cold wind blew past them and Anzu shivered. Yami without even realizing it, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He was so thankful to have some knowledge of who he really was or is...however it may be, he was at peace for now.  
  
Anzu blushed a crimson red as she felt her heart beat faster once more. She then placed her hands on Yami's shoulders and rested the side of her face on his chest...  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Short I know, but I will post another chapter tomorrow night or Sunday. Maybe tonight if I feel ambitious. Please review!  
Ja 


	8. chapter 8

Asuka02RedEva  
Serenitymoon@lycos.com  
Disclaimer: *holds up disclaimer sign with help from kuribo, silver fang is napping. ^.^  
  
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Konnichiwa! I hope that all of you haven't lost interest in the story! Gomen Nasai for not posting in SO long! I was sick and I have SO much work to do. I really hope that all of you will review this chapter. I'm sorry if it is short and all, but a short chapter is better than no chapter at all. =^.^= ~asuka~  
  
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Yami held Anzu in his arms still, shielding her from the cold night air....Anzu had closed her eyes and relaxed in his embrace; she felt comfortable and safe in his arms.  
  
'....I understand who he is now...but there are just so many questions, I wish he could answer...' She felt her cheeks growing warm and knew quite well that she was blushing AGAIN, it seemed to be becoming a pattern whenever she was around him. There was just something about him that she couldn't help but admire and find intriguing.  
  
Yami felt that Anzu was slowing drifting off to sleep as was he. He tightened his arms around her to keep her warm while she slept. As he sat on the fallen tree branch with her, he felt his eyes growing heavy.  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A small golding light appeared from behing Yami, but he did not see it shining brightly because he had started nodding off.  
  
'Perfect...with the pharoah asleep I shouldn't have any problems getting the puzzle...then I'll be one more step closer to getting what I want...pity though that he doesn't remeber anything about his past...but...such is life...was life in his case...once I have the puzzle...he shall be no more.'  
  
Yami suddenly felt a strong and evil aura very close to Anzu and himself. He quickly opened his eyes to find...  
  
"Still won't give up I see...I knew you wouldn't give up that easily...," Yami whispered. "I'm afraid I can't allow you to take MY puzzle." he stated (still whispering) with a smirk as a purple fire burned in his eyes.  
  
"W-what?" the spirit of the Millenium Ring was quite shocked to hear his words.  
  
"That's right...I remember who I am...and I'm sure in time I'll remember everything about my past." Yami smirked evilly at the spirit possessing Bakura's body.  
  
'How the hell is it that he now remembers who he is? He never had any knowledge of his past when we met last time and he banished me to the shadow realm.' he smirked. 'No worries though, if he only remembers who he is then perhaps I can get him to tell me where the other Millenium items are? Or how to find them or something. He IS the baka who made them after all! After he tells me I will kill the boy and then the puzzle will be mine...and the pharoah...will be gone forever.'  
  
The spirit moved back from Yami and smirked once more pulling out a dueling deck from his pocket...  
  
Yami arched an eye brow. "You wish to duel me?"  
  
"Of course...after I defeat you, I will take the puzzle and send you to the shadow realm. We'll see how much YOU enjoy being imprisoned in that hell hole."  
  
Yami took Anzu in his arms and gently picked her up. "You will wait until I have safely placed Anzu in her tent...THEN...we will move to a secure location and I will duel with you."  
  
"As you wish.," he smirked as he watched Yami place Anzu in her tent and then waited. 'A pity my host had to be so weak...Where's the fun in that? The pharoah of course came out on top again, definately in the "hosting business.",' he sighed, '...But son it will be no concern of mine...soon....soon, I will have ALL of the Millenium items...without the pharoah there will be no one left to stop me...'  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami sat in the tent next to Anzu looking down at her her and watching her face as she slept...  
  
/Yami?/  
  
//Yes, aibou?//  
  
/What are you planning to do?/  
  
//I need to duel the spirit of the Millenium Ring, aibou. There isn't any way around it.//  
  
/I'm sure if we ask the others they will help us./  
  
//We can't, aibou. This spirit is too dangerous...I wish I didn't have to put your life in danger as well.//  
  
/Yami, we're partners AND friends...I wouldn't want you to be alone./  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'Alone?,' Yami thought as he suddenly had another flashback of the past...  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~Yami watching his partners fall at the hands of evil, trying to protect him as he continues the spell to seal the souls of the evil mortals who wish to take over Egypt.  
  
"Keep going, your highness!"  
  
"Protect the, Pharoah! Don't let them get to him before he finishes the incantation!"  
  
~~~Yami watches as more of his companions are taken down. Finally, he completes the sealing...he looks around to find himself alone. All that remains are the Millenium items and the corpses of his allies.  
  
'...I'm alone...I'm the only one who survived...but...' He looks to find that the gate of darkness is still open. "What?! Why didn't it close?! Was all of this for nothing?!" His eyes fall on the Millenium Puzzle.  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
/Yami? Yami, are you alright?/  
  
Yami shook his head, clearing his thoughts.   
  
//Hai...sorry aibou...//  
  
Yami then carressed Anzu's cheek and before leaving pulled the sleeping bag around tighter to keep her warm; as well as keep her from catching a chill.  
  
'...Anzu....you'll be safe here..' he sighed quietly. '...I wish I knew how you felt about----' He looked down and closed his eyes for a moment. '....It's not really important....'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami came out of the tent shortly after and zipped the door shut quietly. He then stood up straight, regaining his composure....  
  
"Let's go..."   
  
He soon followed Bakura away from the campsite and into the woods. The moonlight lit the path as they walked...  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Well? Like it or hate it? Let me know, Ja! 


	9. chapter 9

Asuka02RedEva  
Serenitymoon@lycos.com  
Disclaimer: Silverfang is back in action. ^.^ i do not own YGO, etc.  
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Just in case any of you don't know....this story takes place after Yami has beaten Pegasus. They are still on the island waiting to go back to Japan....(please excuse any errors i was extremely tired AND under the influence...*cough cough*...it's friday night! ...ok....Ja!) ~Asuka~  
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Yami continued to walk along the trail following Bakura, (evil spirit, etc., just putting Bakura saves time). He wanted to end this quickly so the others wouldn't worry after all, they were going back to Japan tomorrow evening. His thoughts went to Anzu...In the back of his mind he did want to know how she felt about him, but he just couldn't bring himself to ask. He also knew that his aibou was in love with her...he decided quietly to let things be. Anzu, if she was in love, it would be with Yuugi...she had known him longer after all. He saw his reflection in a nearby pool of water, that was lit, courtesy of the moon's light.  
  
'...I may look the same as I did 5,000 years ago...but...,' he sighed quietly, continuing along the path.  
  
There was no dueling arenas in the area where Bakura led Yami. It wasn't as if the King of Games really needed an arena to duel anyways. An ordinary duel was not on either of their minds at the moment. Both possessed the ability to bring the cards to life on their own. Yami, however, over powered him quite easily in the magic department.  
  
Bakura stopped, his back to Yami. "Alright, Pharoah...shall we begin?"  
  
Yami nodded. "Hai, but first...what are the stakes?"  
  
"Baka! The puzzle of course!," he snickered quietly. "What did you think I wanted?"  
  
"And...if I should win?" Yami arched an eye brow. "...What is it, I get?"  
  
"You WON'T win this time, so wipe that cocky smirk off your face."  
  
Yami continued to smirk. "I do not wish to play a game where I will not get anything when I win."   
  
Bakura growled faintly, obviously annoyed now. "Fine! IF you should win...then...I won't bother you for a while."  
  
Yami snickered. "You can't even think of anything...PA-thetic...I suppose I have to pick the prize." He crossed his arms over his chest, closing his eyes. 'If I win...you leave the boy and my host alone...I can't destroy the Millenium item you were sealed in because I cannot remember that fact from my past. However, don't tempt me because sooner or later, I WILL remember."  
  
"Wishful thinking on your part!"   
  
Yami continued to stand there, his face unchanged. 'It's either that or I banish you to the shadow realm once more.'  
  
A bead of sweat ran down Bakura's face. 'Shit...he's not kidding around...but I did get out of the shadow realm once. I'm sure I could do it again.'  
  
'Don't count on it, I can make it that your soul will forever be trapped in turmoil.'  
  
"Let's just duel! We'll see who will be victorious!," yelled Bakura.  
  
Yami stood on one side of the cleared area in the woods, Bakura on the other; Yami took his dueling deck out and smirked. The moonlight lighting the area between the two.  
  
"Let's duel!," the two yelled, their voices echoing through the woods only to be carried away by the night's air....  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu slept peacefully in her tent. She was in the middle of a dream...  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She saw herself with a young man whose face was hidden by the shadows.  
  
"What is it you want?," he asked her.  
  
"I want to know who you are.," she replied, squinting, trying to make out his face.  
  
A fog rolled in around the two...  
  
"Anzu, you know who I am." Yami stepped forward.  
  
"I know who you are...that part, I suppose is true...but...I don't know who you were, what you looked like...those things..."  
  
"I've always looked just as I do now..." (not a lie) "The only difference is that my body was destroyed 5,000 years ago and my soul sealed in the puzzle." He placed his hand on her cheek. "Won't you tell me why you are so interested about me and my past?"  
  
Anzu blushed and watched his eyes....  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The duel had started and Yami was in the lead. There was no dueling arena or hologram simulators near them. Yami had the Dragon of the fortress standing a few feet in front of him. Bakura had placed the man eater bug on the ground, it appeared a few feet in front of him as well.  
  
Both were playing for keeps. The stakes were too high not to. The rules had changed...  
  
"Attack!," both yelled at once. The area between them shook and the battle raged on...  
  
/Yami?/  
  
//Quiet aibou, do not distract me...//  
  
/...O-Okay..../ Yuugi sounded a little hurt. Yami had never told him to be quiet before.  
  
//Gomen Nasai, aibou. This battle is very important for our futures...I must protect you now so please trust me.//  
  
/Alright Yami...be careful.../  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hmmm? Won't you tell me, Anzu?"  
  
"I...I just want to know more about you is all....," she replied nervously looking down.  
  
Yami continued to look down at her, he smiled for a moment. "It's alright, Anzu....if you don't want to tell me then it's fine."  
  
"But I l---"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu slowly opened her eyes...she looked around the dark tent and then sat up...  
  
'How'd I get here?' her thoughts then went to Yami. She remembered having a chill and how he held her keeping her warm. 'I must have fallen asleep.,' she thought and blushed, remembering how it felt being in his arms. It had been a wonderful feeling. She had felt so loved and warm, as if nothing could hurt her, not as long as he held her.   
  
"What's wrong with me? It's not like I actually know, Yami." She found herself stating out loud. "Well...that isn't entirely true...he DID save me at Burger World AND he did help Yuugi save his grandpa...It's not like he's a bad guy or anything...he's just not Yuugi. He's confident and even cocky...he..." She sighed and shook her head. "Why am I even thinking like that?"  
  
@.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Reduced to parlor tricks?," Bakura asked, smirking. "Looks like I've got the upper hand..."  
  
Yami had placed the Dark Magician on the ground (no arena so not a field) and then used the magicial hats to conceal the Dark Magician.  
  
"Your move.," he stated, calmly.  
  
Bakura continued to smirk. "This will be over soon; Doma, the Angel of Silence, attack the third hat!"  
  
Yami watched the attack come towards the magical hat....  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu had come out of the tent and found that the campsite was very quiet. She had grabbed a black, zip-up, jacket and walked down the path in the woods leading to the beach. She needed to clear her mind...  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami smirked, "You've activated my trap...spell binding circle! Now my Dark Magician can easily take down Doma. Dark Magician! Dark magic attack!"  
  
Bakura scowled and growled quietly obviously angry.   
  
"Your life points have been reduced to 300."  
  
Yami lead by 350...the game was obviously going to be a close one...  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It had finally come down to the end of the match...Bakura had three monsters in position; Baron of the Fiend Sword, the Whitty Phantom, and the Stern Mystic...  
  
Yami was definately out numbered but no fear of losing appeared on his face. He smirked and then started to chuckle quietly. A purple fire appeared in his eyes once more.   
  
"What are you laughing at? Have you gone mad, finally figuring it out, that you have no chance in hell of winning?"  
  
"On the contrary...I DO ...and isn't it ironic that the same move I used on Mai to win will be used to destroy you?"  
  
With that, Yami played Gaia the fierced knight and then Kuribo. He then used his ritual card, to create the Black Luster Soldier.  
  
Bakura knew he was beaten. "Sorry to run...," he said with a smirk "...but I really must be going." With that said he called back his three monsters and took off running. 'Damn Pharoah!'  
  
"You've cheated...." Yami suddenly appeared in front of Bakura. The eye of Horus on his forhead. "You've opened the gate of darkness."  
  
"Don't give me that gate of darkness, shit!"  
  
Suddenly, Yami held out his hand and the gate of darkness appeared. The Millenium Ring suddenly disappeared from around Bakura's neck.  
  
"What are you doing?!"  
  
"Sending you to the shadow realm. I've won and you have cheated..." Yami watched as the Millenium Ring was blown into the gateway....  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami bent down next to Bakura. Bakura had fallen unconcious....  
  
/Yami?/  
  
//Hai, aibou, he will be fine...//  
  
/What about the spirit fo the Millenium Ring?/  
  
//He won't stay in the shadow realm forever...but for now Ryou will be safe from the evil in the Millenium Ring.//  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu arrived at the beach about 15 minutes later. The walk had been longer than she had anticipated. When she looked towards the incoming waves, something caught her attention.   
  
'Nani?!'  
  
There was Yami sitting on the sand, one leg propped up so that he rested his arm on his knee and his chin on the arm.  
  
'He looks so sad...'  
  
She started towards him....  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
like it? hate it? let me know! Ja! 


	10. chapter 10

Asuka02RedEva  
Serenitymoon@lycos.com  
Disclaimer: ......Silver Fang....*cough cough*....well....*holds up disclaimer sign herself*....since my assistant is eating TURKEY....i have to do this ALL by myself....*SIGH*...i do not own yu-gi oh! or any of the characters in this story...would be nice to own yami at least....but...such is life...  
  
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I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I thought that I would post chapter 10 today...be warned though that this chapter contains MAJOR FLUFF....if you do not like fluff....then PLEASE do NOT read; because I really really hate flames. Thank You and Enjoy! Please R/R  
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Anzu walked slowly towards Yami. He looked rather sad as he just sat there on the sandy beach; watching the waves roll in and out...  
She practically stood in back of him; normally he would have sensed her presence the moment she had stepped onto the beach--not this time though--he was too deep in thought to either notice, nor care.  
  
/Yami, talk to me.../  
  
//.......//  
  
/Yami, what's wrong?/  
  
Yami hadn't even heard Yuugi's voice. The only things on his mind now were his past and the few memories that he had regained. "I wish...," he stated out loud to no one at all.  
Anzu moved closer to him and took a seat next to him. "You wish, what?" Yami was startled at first, as he looked towards her for a moment; he then turned his attention back to the sea...  
  
Anzu suddenly felt rather uncomfortable; she had only wished to help Yami--yet she felt as if she had interrupted him from his thoughts. She went to stand, when she felt something on her hand. She looked down to find Yami's hand on top of hers.  
"Gomen Nasai, Anzu.," he started with a solumn, "I did not mean to offend you."  
  
She looked up, her eyes meeting his. "Why are you so sad?," she asked, obviously worried.  
"I only wish to remember more of my past is all. Do you realize how many things there are that I can't remember? Al I know is that I was the Pharoah of Egypt, 5,000 years ago and that my soul no resides in the Millenium Puzzle."  
  
Anzu sighed quietly. 'I want to help him, but how can I?' "Well, you know Yuugi and I will help you in any way we can."  
  
"This I know." He looked up at her and searched her eyes as if looking for hidden answers. "Anzu...do you think that there is a way for me to regain all of my memories?"  
  
"There has to be a way.," she stated reassuringly. "I'm positive that you'll remember your past. I mean, hey, you've already regained a few on your own, ne? So they must be triggered by certain events or words that are linked to your past."  
  
"Yes...that makes sense...," he replied quietly, with a slight sigh.   
  
'I've never seen him so down before...there's got to be some way to cheer him up.' She looked around for a moment. 'How can I cheer him up? Hmmm...' "Yami, let's skip rocks."  
  
Yami looked up at her as she stood up and blinked. "S-skip rocks???"  
  
'Ok...it's lame, I know...but what else can I do to stall for time while I think of something that will cheer him up?' "Yes. Let's skip rocks."  
  
Yami continued to look up at her as if she had lost her mind. "...That's alright, Anzu. I'll pass...."  
  
'Damn...hmmm...wait, I know!' "Yami..." She stood in front of him, with her hands on her hips. "I CHALLENGE you to a rock skipping contest..."  
  
Yami smirked and then shook his head in defeat. He then stood up a moment later. Anzu had still been standing in front of him. When he had stood up he was only standing a few inches away from her.  
Anzu blushed in the moonlight. Yet neither of the two moved. Yami watched her eyes. Anzu felt as if his eyes were looking into her soul. She felt herself blush even more and her heart start to speed up. Anzu felt herself leaning forwards....  
  
When Yami walked past her! She blinked and turned around to see him picking up a couple of flat rocks. She suddenly started looking around for some rocks of her own...  
  
A few minutes later, they were ready.  
  
"After you, Anzu."  
  
"Right. Just so you know, I used to do this all the time, when I was younger,." she said with a smirk. "So don't think this is going to be an easy match."  
  
Yami smiled and nodded. "Alright, but don't be too hard on me, I don't believe I've ever skipped rocks before."  
  
"Ok, I'll try not to..." She let the rock go....  
  
FIVE minutes later....  
  
"Hmm.....not bad...14 skips...," Yami said with a smirk.  
  
Anzu sweatdropped. 'For someone whose never done this before he sure is good.' She stepped up to the "plate" again (so to speak), and let the rock go. She sighed. 'Two???' She slumped her shoulders a little bit. 'I can't even beat him at skipping rocks....he really IS the King of Games...'  
  
Yami smiled and held out a fairly good sided, flat, rock. "Here...I'll show you."  
  
Anzu nodded and then blushed. 'NANI?!'  
  
Yami now stood in back of her; his hands moved around her waist and he placed his hand over hers; his other hand holding her around the waist. He moved in closer to her and moved his arm back with hers to throw the rock. "You see, Anzu?"  
  
Anzu continued to blush, all she saw was YAmi's face and how close he was to her.  
  
"Anzu?," he asked again, moving closer so that he could lean over her shoulder and see her face.  
  
Anzu by now knew that she must be almost crimson red. She quickly nodded. "I see....( ! )," she nearly yelled nervously.  
  
Yami arched an eye brow. "Alright...on 3....1....2...."  
  
It took Anzu a moment to figure out what he was talking about and to get back on track. She did, however, and right in time for three. She let go of the rock. The two watched and waited to see how many times the rock would skip. Anzu looked down at the water and saw their reflection. There she was being held by Yami; one arm on her own arm, his hand holding hers, and his chin now rested on her shoulder as he watched the rock skip. She found that her face was in deed as red as she had suspected. She unconciously moved back into his embrace relaxing.  
  
Yami was about to inform her that the rock had skipped a total of twelve times, when he felt her lean back into his embrace. He was a little confused at first and wondered if she was cold. Figuring that she might be cold he tightened his arm around her.  
Anzu didn't think there was any possible way that she could blush even more; yet was soon proved wrong. 'I don't know why, but I love this feeling. I've never met anyone like him before....and I know now that I must do everything I can to help him.'  
Yami continued to watch the girl in his arms. "Arigato, Anzu...I appreciate you wanting to help him."  
  
"I-It's no problem. I'm happy to help actually." She breathed in softly and once more looked down at their reflection.   
  
Yami noticed her looking down and followed her gaze with is own. A small blush appeared on his face as he blinked. "Quite the couple, ne?"  
  
Anzu was in shock. 'Couple? No way, he couldn't be, I mean---'  
  
"It was a joke, Anzu. I simply meant we fit together."  
  
Anzu sweatdropped. "Yeah, I know." She felt her ego drop.  
  
Yami noticed her sudden change of attitude. 'I'm very sorry, Anzu...but right now I can't ask you what I wish to know. If you do love one of us, either Aibou or myself....now is not the right time. I only know how I feel.' "Anzu, is there another game you wish to play?"  
  
"Another game? Gee...I don't know...you always seem to beat me and all..."  
  
Yami sweatdropped. "Uh...Gomen Nasai?"  
  
"Hmm? Oh! I didn't mean it like that!" She looked down in thought. "Let's dance!," she ordered with a smile on her face.   
  
"Dance???" Yami had a big sweatdrop.   
  
"Yeah, dance... What? Can't you dance?," she teased.  
  
Yami continued to sweatdrop. Dancing wasn't something the King of Games usually was seen doing.  
  
Anzu moved away from him and turned around so that she was facing him. "Well?"  
  
"......" Yami looked down and off to the side, sweadropping. Even HE hoped that neither Jou or Honda was around. "....Eh..."  
  
"If you're too chicken..." She started off back towards the path. Only to be stopped.  
  
Yami grabbed her hand and pulled her back quickly; wrapping his arm around her waist and holding her other hand in his. "I never said THAT, Anzu."  
Anzu looked up at him, a little in shock at first, but then snapped out of it and placed her hand on his shoulder. "And here I was wondering if perhaps you couldn't dance." She blushed as he pulled her closer to him, and started to lead as they danced on the beach in the moonlight.  
Yami's movements were slow and his gaze distant, memories flooding his mind. Anzu could see it in his eyes. Without even thinking of the consequences of her actions, she reached up with her hand (the one that had been on his shoulder), and placed it on the side of his head, moving his head gently so that it now was resting on her shoulder.  
  
Yami was a little confused at first but then heard her comforting words; "I'm so sorry for what you must be going through. You seem so lost and troubled right now. Please trust me and know that I'm here to help you."  
Usually Yami was never seen like this. It was always him who looked out for everyone, especially, Yuugi and Anzu.  
"Arigato, Anzu...and gomen nasai for troubling you...but right now I am so lost. I wish to remember my past so dearly. There are still so many things I wish to know the answers to. I fear that Yuugi is in danger as long as his mind is linked to mine. There are so many signs of what is to come and what will become of me. My Millenium Puzzle will draw many enemies to Japan..."  
  
The two continued to dance, moving seemed like the only solution for the time being...  
  
"Even though the answers to your past may be dangerous to uncover, you're not alone. Yuugi, the others, and myself will help you.," Anzu replied, her voice full of confidence.  
  
"Arigato, Anzu...but I cannot risk your life or the others; most of all Yuugi's...the boy means too much to me and to the others for me to even tempt fate."  
  
Anzu looked down at Yami for a moment. 'He loves Yuugi too...' She smiled. 'Yami acts like an older brother would.' A thought entered her mind and she sweatdropped. 'Maybe Yami and Kaiba DO have something in common (other than Duel Monsters) after all. Now THERE'S a scary thought.'  
  
Yami had closed his eyes, not too long ago... 'I only want to remember.' There was a voice in the back of his mind which seemed to taunt him. No matter how hard he tried the memories would not surface. 'I know who I was...or yet...still am...my body was destroyed not my spirit...but am I destined to stay in this "limbo" until my aibou has no more need or me? Or do I have a destiny to fulfull? If so, will I know it soon enough?' He lifted his head up, off of Anzu's shoulder and looked down at her. "Arigato, Anzu."  
  
Anzu looked up at Yami, a little startled and watched his eyes. She then shook her head slowly. "You don't have to keep thanking me, Yami. That's what friends are for after.," she stated with a smile and wrapped her arms around his neck giving him a hug. "Just remember, you're never alone, Yami." 'I'll always be here for you...always...'  
Yami was caught off guard for a moment and then wrapped his arms around her waist. "Same goes for you, Anzu. I will always protect you, no matter the cost." He continued to hold her still. 'I can't imagine my life without you...or my aibou in it...'  
  
'Ever since the first time I heard his voice...I've wanted to know who he was. It was that day at Burger World when he saved me from that robber. I knew I was safe when I heard his voice. He was so calm and confident. I trusted him completely and I couldn't even see his face. I always feel safe when he's around and now I know that I'm fa-----'  
  
"Anzu? Let's head back to camp now so we can get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, the boat ride back to Japan will be rather long."  
  
Anzu nodded, coming back to reality. "Good idea...at least this time Honda and I don't have to wait in the cargo hold."  
  
Yami smiled. "That's right; I had forgotten about that. You two were stole'a'ways on the boat." Anzu blushed a little embarrassed. "Well...we couldn't let you two go alone looking for Pegasus."  
  
"I'm glad you did come; along with all of Yuugi's friends, your courage is what allowed him to fight on."  
  
"I don't think it was just us, Yami. I think you have a lot to do with it. Actually, I know you do. When you take over, you give Yuugi the confidence he needs to duel. I see it every time he duels."  
  
"It may be my skill that allows us to duel, but it is Yuugi's heart that allows us to win."  
/Yami?/  
  
//Yes, Aibou?//  
  
/Do you really mean that?/  
  
//Of course I do, aibou. I have never met anyone like you before. That is why I fear so much for your safety.//  
  
/Yami, I know you are worried about me, but I am more worried about you...I don't want to lose you./  
  
//Aibou, although I cannot be sure what the future may have in store for us, know this; no matter what may happen to me, I will always be with you. Whether or not you possess the Millenium Puzzle, I will not leave you. Now, put your mind at ease and rest. We'll be back to camp soon.//  
  
/I love you, Yami./  
  
//And I you, Aibou.//  
  
'You're the closest thing I have to a family. You've become my bestfriend and I pray that I never have to leave you...but the future is unclear to me....for now....'  
  
"Yami? You ready to head back to camp?," Anzu asked, arching an eye brow.  
  
"Hai...."  
  
The two separated from their hug and headed towards the path that would lead them back to the campsite. One thing was for sure, when they returned to Japan tomorrow night...things would never again be the same. 


	11. chapter 11 special

Asuka02RedEva  
serenitymoon@lycos.com  
disclaimer: *coughs* ...silverfang is a lil busy...*mutters*...damn holidays for all of their foods, silverfang is too busy eating them...*sigh*...*holds up her own disclaimer sign* ...i do not own yu-gi oh!..ok..said it...on w/ the story!  
  
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In the spirit of the Christmas I have decided that this chapter will be about Christmas! Yeah! Aren't you excited???? *bribing them with cookies*....though so....=^.^=...ok then, it's going to be mostly humor, and maybe a lil fluff...please enjoy and i REALLY wanna know if you like it!  
  
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Yami sat on the bedroom window sill looking out the window at the still city. The moonlight pouring in through the window and falling on him; revealing his features. 'We've been back in Japan for nearly a week, and I haven't had anymore memories surface...I knew it was too good to be true.' He looked up into the night sky, full of stars, and recalled a similar scene about a week before...  
Yami remembered being on the beach with Anzu--how they had danced and played the childish games that night. He smiled and watched as a shooting star shot across the night sky....  
  
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Anzu sat up in her bed, looking out the window. She wasn't really looking at anything, however, her thoughts were of a certain young man who she knew nearly nothing about. She sighed remembering the entire trip to Duelist Kingdom, how the whole thing began....  
  
'He was so brave throughout the entire ordeal...he gave Yuugi and the others the strength to go on...he saved Yuugi's Grandpa and even protected me from that creep.'  
  
She suddenly felt her cheeks grow warm as she thought about being with him, that night, on the beach.  
  
'...There's just something about him...I've gotta help him in anyway I can to remember his past.'  
  
She hmmm'd for a moment and had an idea come to mind.  
  
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"Yami?," whispered a small voice.  
  
Yami turned his attention from the night sky to the direction of the voice. "Yes, aibou?"  
  
"Are you alright, Yami?," Yuugi asked as he sat up in his bed.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine. Gomen Nasai if I woke you."  
  
Yuugi shook his head and smiled. "No, you didn't wake me at all. I just woke up to get a drink of water. What were you thinking of? If you don't mind me asking.," he asked as he headed toward the bathroom (in his room), to fill his glass with cold water.  
  
"I was just thinking about my past and how I wish I could remember more of it. I know that I'm a 5,000 year old pharoah, and it was I who sealed the evil that threatened the world...I suppose it is I who am responsible for watching over the Millenium Items in some aspects...other than that I do not know."  
  
Yuugi came out of the bathroom with his glass of water and sat back down on the bed. He then motioned for Yami to join him. Yami walked over to the bed and took a seat, his back leaning against the headboard. Yuugi leaned up against him, taking a sip of the water and then set it on the nightstand next to the bed.  
  
"Don't worry, Yami. We'll find a way to restore all of your memories; I just know it."  
  
"I hope you're right, aibou. Aibou, tell me something, why is everyone decorating and shopping?"  
  
Yuugi blinked and looked up at Yami. "It's almost Christmas of course."  
  
"Christmas?," Yami asked arching an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah, Christmas, you know....the day you get presents." He noticed Yami's puzzled expression. "Birth of Christ? Gift giving?? Santa Clause??? Any of this sound familiar?"  
  
". . . . . . . . . . ." Big sweatdrop coming from Yami. "San-Ta, Who???"  
  
". . . . . . . . . . ." Yuugi sweatdropped as well. "Big fat guy in red suit, comes down your chimney, eats your milk and cookies, leaves you presents, has magical flying reindeer and a sleigh."  
  
Yami's eyes widened. (a/n: visual aid would be TOO scary...this is basically what Yami sees.) A big fat man (aka: redneck), trying to squeeze through people's chimneys, wearing red long john's and some cheap hat (Santa hat), going through some poor family's fridge and cupboards taking all of their cookies and milk and dropping off poorly wrapped presents on the floor--then trying to shimmy his fat white ass up the chimney, to his "flying" reindeer and sleigh on the roof--only off to hit the next house on the block.  
  
"When does this Santa come???"  
  
"Christmas Eve night of course...which is in about 2 days."  
  
Yami gasped, he looked a little alarmed. "We've gotta lock the doors, and make sure that the cops watch this block!"  
  
Yuugi blinked and sweatdropped holding back a laugh. Yami arched an eyebrow.   
  
"I don't see anything funny about this, Aibou. The man OBVIOUSLY has "issues"--I don't want you to go anywhere near him, alright????"  
  
Yuugi stifled a laugh and tried not to smile too much. "Oh...he...he....okay, Yami."  
  
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'I need to find a gift for Yami, and the others of course, but one that will make him have some hope of regaining his past or at least put his mind at ease.'  
  
Anzu hmmm'd once more, trying to think of the perfect gift. She rolled over onto her side and closed her eyes hoping to find the answer to her question. What to get Yami for Christmas.  
  
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"We'll have to go Christmas shopping tomorrow, Yami."  
  
"Oh? And what will we get, aibou?"  
  
"Why, Christmas presents, of course. One for Grandpa, Jou, Honda, Anzu, and I need to get a gift for you too."  
  
Yami arched an eyebrow. "A gift for all of them? Even me?"  
  
"Of course, Yami. Christmas time is the time of year where you get a present for everyone you love; kind of a reminder of how special they are to you."  
  
"...I see...hmmmm...so I should give you a gift as well, ne?"  
  
"You don't have to Yami. You've already given me so much."  
  
Yami smiled down at his aibou. "You've also given me a great deal, but I would like to find something to give you."  
  
Yuugi nodded. "Alright then, tomorrow we'll go Christmas shopping but from now until then we sleep." Yuugi looked up to find Yami's eyes already closed. 'He must have been really tired. I just hope he didn't take this Santa bit seriously.'  
  
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Yami walked behind Yuugi a little ways looking in the different shop windows. Yuugi was raring to go and wasn't stopping for anything. He'd run into a shop and then dash out and go running into another one. Whenever yami would ask him what he was doing, Yuugi would reply with "Looking for the "BEST" gift."  
  
Yami was beginning to wonder what the "BEST" gift was. He asked, only to find that it varied from person to person. Yami looked in one of the shop windows and saw something that he knew Anzu would love. He arched an eyebrow and looked down at the "money" (as Yuugi had called it), that he had been given. He shrugged and went inside after his aibou.  
  
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Anzu looked around a shop for the perfect gift for Yami. She had already gotten something for Yuugi, Jou, and Honda.   
  
'Why does this have to be so hard??? Can't I just find the perfect gift for him?'   
  
She was starting to lose hope when her gaze fell on a certain object in the shop.   
  
'It's perfect!'  
  
She ran over to it...  
  
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Yami waited for the girl at the counter to finish wrapping his gifts. He had found something for his aibou, and even to his dismay he had broken down and gotten something for Jou and Honda.  
  
'Must be getting soft...can't let kid know...must ask woman at the counter to wrap faster before someone sees.'  
  
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"Uh...um...er...excuse me, ma'am, but I was going to buy that gift..."  
  
The woman who had beaten Anzu to the gift looked up at her. She was a fat woman, with curly short hair and way too much make-up. Her clothes were old and she smelled like moth balls. "Well too damn bad, I'm going to give this to my grandson."  
  
"No! You just HAVE to let me have this! It's the only thing I can find for my friend...he's been so sad lately and I just KNOW it would cheer him up..."  
  
"Hmmm....that's sweet deary...Now let me think about this long and hard...Okay! Thought about it, NO!"  
  
"...Then you leave me no choice..."  
  
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Yami and Yuugi walked down the street carrying bags in each of their hands.  
  
"Wow, I can't believe how many gifts I found. What about you, Yami?"  
  
"Hai. We did find quite a few." He smiled down at his aibou.  
  
Both suddenly stopped and looked really confused.  
  
"What's going on in that shop?," asked Yuugi.  
  
"I have no idea, aibou."  
  
People began whispering. "Some girl's gone nuts." "She's attacking that woman with the gift." "Wow, she must REALLY want that thing."  
  
Yami and Yuugi both gave each other puzzled looks.  
  
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"Please lady! Please!," yelled Anzu pulling on the gift.  
  
"No! No! It's mine!," yelled the woman as she pulled back.  
  
....And the battle raged on....  
  
"I've got my bet on the girl." "I dunno man, the old woman looks pretty strong." People continued to watch and placed their bets.  
  
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Yami and Yuugi both went wide eyed as they saw a brunette running quickly out of the shop with something in her hand, and down the street with an old woman yelling at her, and the shop keeper shaking his head and waving his hands in front of him; explaining to the woman that Anzu DID pay for the item.  
  
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"That girl looked a lot like---"  
  
"Nah, Anzu wouldn't do that...I mean, she's not that crazy. Who in the world fights people off for gifts?"  
  
"Guess you're right, aibou."  
  
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That night while Yuugi slept, a small light shown underneath the walk in closet door....  
  
'Hmmm....how to protect my aibou from this "Santa Clause"....Let's see....'  
  
The rest of the night was filled with soft clangs and bangs; Yami occasionally would open the closet door and peek out to make sure that Yuugi was still asleep.  
  
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Christmas Eve came and Yuugi decided that calling all of his friends and inviting them over for cookies and a little holiday get together was a great idea.   
  
"Grandpa, everyone is coming! So you can make the cooki---"  
  
"Sorry Yuugi, I've gotta do some last minute Christmas shopping today so you'll have to make the cookies yourself."  
  
". . . . . . ." Yuugi watched as the door shut behind his Grandpa.  
  
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Yami soon felt the Millenium Puzzle shaking...  
  
"Yami?! Yami?!"  
  
Yami appeared next to Yuugi, emerging out of the puzzle and looked alarmed.   
  
"What?! What?!"  
  
"We've got problems!"  
  
"What are they???"  
  
"One I can't bake, and two WE need to make cookies from scratch!"  
  
"We have to.....what????"  
  
"C'mon! No time to explain!" Yuugi grabbed Yami's hand and dragged him out of the room and down the stairs.  
  
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Anzu arrived at the Mouto's, followed by Jou and Honda. She rang the door bell but no one came.  
  
"Well, he's got to be here.," informed Jou.  
  
"Hey, the door is unlocked. Let's go on inside.," replied Honda not wanting to carry all of the gifts any longer.  
  
When they walked inside they didn't see anyone, but then they heard: "No! Watch out! ACK!!!"  
  
As they turned the corner they found Yami and Yuugi standing in the kitchen together. Yami had a blue apron on and Yuugi a red one. Yami stood there looking at the others with frosting running down his apron; he stood next to the microwave (door open), and covered with dripping pink frosting. The moral of that story is that frosting in a plastic baggie does not need to be set for 10 minutes in the microwave by Yami. Yuugi smiled at them.  
  
"Hey guys!"  
  
All three blinked and looked at Yuugi's white face which was covered with flour. All they could see where his eyes.  
  
Honda pulled out his polaroid camera and smirked as he took a picture of Yami and Yuugi; the picture popped out of the camera...  
  
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Everyone eyed the cookies that Yuugi had set before them on a holiday tray.  
  
"You think they're safe to eat, Anzu?," whispered Honda suspiciously.  
  
"...Well, it would be rude not to eat them.," she replied picking up one of the cookies.  
  
"What do you think Jou, you think we should ea---"  
  
Honda and Anzu both shook their heads at Jou who was already scarfing down the cookies. Yuugi and Yami beamed with pride. =^.^=  
  
"Guess he'll eat just about anything that doesn't eat him first.," whispered Anzu.  
  
"I'll say...," replied Honda who was hitting his cookie against his plate trying to get off some of the charred cookie bottom.  
  
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After the "cookies" (if one can actually call them that), they drank egg nog (of course they all wanted to know if Yuugi and Yami had made the egg nog too, they hadn't it had come from a carton, thank God, they had been spared!).   
  
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Yami leaned against the door frame as he watched Yuugi hand out all of his gifts and watched the others start to open theirs. Yuugi took his time opening his, Jou and Honda ripped into theirs, and Anzu carefully untied the ribbon. He smiled at each of them. He had never celebrated Christmas before, or not that he could recall that is, so he felt a little out of the loop.  
  
Anzu thanked Yuugi for the gift and then remembered the gift she had gotten for Yami. She had already given each of them their gifts so she stood up and walked over to Yami.  
  
"...Um....Yami?"  
  
Yami arched an eye brow. "Hai, Anzu?"  
  
"...Th-This is for you. I hope you like it...," she stated as she held out the wrapped gift with a ribbon on it.  
  
"Thank you, Anzu." He took the gift and then picked up a gift that had been next to him on the floor and held it out to her.  
  
She blinked and then took the gift, feeling her cheeks grow warm yet again (are we seeing a pattern here, people?). Both of them started to unwrap their gift.  
  
Anzu's eyes went wide as she opened the box and looked inside; then she pulled out a figurine. It was a ballerina music box; that when played the ballerina would spin around. "Oh Yami, it's beautiful...thank you so much.," she stated as she gave him a hug.  
  
Yami smiled for a moment. "You're welcome, Anzu. I saw it and it was the least I could do for all you did for me while we were on the island."  
  
"You didn't have to thank me. Open your gift now."  
  
She waited patiently as Yami started to unwrap his gift. When he opened the box, his eyes too went wide for a moment. He then looked up at her and confusion was evident on his features.  
  
'Oh no, he doesn't like it...I shouldn't have gotten it...'  
  
He took the gift out of the box and looked it over, arching an eye brow as he ran his fingers over the ancient writing. "Where did you find this, Anzu?"  
  
"Nani? I found it in an antique shop downtown...it was the only one there...if you don't like it, I understand...," she stated looking down.  
  
"Not like it. Anzu, it's a perfect gift. Thank you."  
  
She blinked. "You like it???" She was almost in shock.  
  
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" He held up an old gold box that had hieroglyphs engraved in it, seeming to tell some sort of story. "I just wish I knew what it said. Hmmm?"   
  
"What is it?," she asked leaning closer.  
  
"I don't know. It looks like it opens. What's this?" He opened the top of the gold box to find two golden pendants.  
  
"What do they mean?"  
  
"I don't know, Anzu..." He held them in his hand and arched an eye brow. 'Each one obviously represents something...for some odd reason, I wonder if these may answer some of the questions to my past.'   
  
They both looked over to see Jou and Honda leaning on their elbows, smirking at them...  
  
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"What's so funny you guys?," asked Anzu as she arched an eyebrow.  
  
"Look we're your standing, Anzu.," replied Honda, still smirking.  
  
Anzu looked up and then blushed. Yami arched an eyebrow, looking up as well.  
  
"What?," Yami asked a lil puzzled.  
  
Jou and Honda nearly fell over backwards. Yuugi blushed not knowing what to say.   
  
"Wait a minute! You don't know about mistle toe?!"  
  
"...Mistle....what???"  
  
"Mistle toe, man....oy vey....," started Jou. "...It's a tradition that when you're under the mistle toe with a girl..." an evil little smirk crossed his face. "You HAVE to kiss her."  
  
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Yami blinked and then looked at Anzu who was blushing and began to feel really uncomfortable. 'What am I supposed to do? I mean....Jou says that I HAVE to kiss her....damn Japanese traditions...how am I supposed to know about them?' He sighed a small sigh.  
  
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Honda got the camera ready, Jou smirked and held his glass of egg nog high, and Yuugi's eyes went wide as he stopped munching on the "cookies" and candy as Yami leaned forward to kiss Anzu.  
  
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Anzu turned almost a crimson shade of red and slowly closed her eyes as she felt Yami drawing closer to her.  
  
'Please, please don't look like an idiot, Anzu...,' she thought.  
  
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Yami leaned closer to her, just about to kiss her when he heard the front door open, followed by a "HO, HO, HO! Merry Christmas!" He blinked and looked over to see "Santa Clause" (aka: Grandpa Mouto) standing in the doorway with a big bag slung over his shoulder; red suit and all.  
  
"ACK! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! HE'S EARLY!!!!"  
  
Yami took off up the stairs as fast a he could....  
  
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*DEAD SILENCE*  
  
Anzu blinked just standing there, Jou and Honda's mouths dropped, Grandpa Mouto looked at his outfit wondering if he had missed a button or a zipper, =^.^= and then everyone's attention went back to Yuugi.  
  
Yuugi swallowed hard and laughed nervously. "I guess Yami had WAY too much egg nog for today..."  
  
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Coming from the upstairs everyone could hear a bunch of clanging and banging as the closet door flew open and Yami pulled out all of the necessary equipment for "Operation Santa Be Gone."  
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you! Please Review and let me know if you liked the lil bit of holiday humor! =^.^= May all of you have a safe and happy holiday season! Ja Ne 


	12. chapter 12 special cont

Asuka02RedEva  
Serenitymoon@lycos.com  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi Oh! or Twas the Night Before Christmas they are owned by K. Takahashi and Clement C. Moore~~ SilverFang is busy making Christmas Pies...  
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You guys!!!! *whines* I wasn't gonna make a chapter 12 about Yami's plan!!! It was just for chuckles and giggles! BUT all of you want to know...SOOOOO I HAD to think of something....*rolls up her sleeves*....it won't be LONG and it won't be PRETTY....here we go....  
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Yami was upstairs clanging and banging around pulling out all the necessary equipment he needed from the closet. It was a good thing that Yuugi didn't clean his closet very often, there sure were a lot of things that one could use for an "Operation Santa Be Gone" plan.  
  
'Alright...Santa....it's seem to meet your worst nightmare...You won't be getting my Aibou's milk and cookies this year...'  
  
*CHH CHH*  
  
Yami was ready to go....He cautiously walked out of the room, his back against the wall...he cautiously began the necessary steps on how to take Santa down...  
  
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Yuugi and the others just sat there as "Santa" passed out the gifts.  
  
"Hey Yuug, Yami's been up there quite a while....is there something we should know about?," asked Jou.  
  
"Um...well, you see...I told Yami about Santa Clause...and he, well, he..um...he thinks Santa is a lil....on the...um....how can I put this...EVIL side...," explained Yuugi.  
  
". . . . . . . ." Everyone was silent.  
  
"Santa??? EVIL???? HA!," Jou and Honda burst out laughing.  
  
"Guys....it's not like it's his fault and all....he probably never celebrated Christmas back in ancient Egypt.," intervened Anzu.  
  
"Yeah, Anzu's right you guys.," agreed Yuugi, shaking his head and trying not to laugh himself.  
  
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Target Santa was in sight and locked on. Yami slinked down the upstairs hallway, back against the wall...his weapon up right and ready...  
  
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"HO HO HO, did you make these cookies yourself, Yuugi?," asked "Santa."  
  
"Sure did, Gr....I mean, "SANTA."," replied Yuugi with a small smile.  
  
"Well, let me try them..."  
  
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'ACK! He's finally shown his true colors...alright fat boy...you're going down.' Yami got in position and then....  
  
*CHH CHH* *SPLAT*  
  
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"HO HO ACK!!!!"   
  
Everyone took evasive action! Jou and Honda pulled off the couch cushions and used them as shields; while Yuugi dove underneath the livingroom coffee table--Anzu scrambled behind one of the livingroom chairs and all watched in "horror" as "Santa" took a hit.  
  
"Santa" stumbled back and blinked as he looked down at the running yolks and egg shells dripping off his suit.  
  
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They all looked towards the stairs to find no trace of the so called assassin. Unfortunately, they all had a fairly good idea as to WHO was perpetrator.  
  
"...Oh....MY...God....," whispered Yuugi, half in shock and blushing crimson red from embarrassment.  
  
"Cool! Where'd he learn to aim like that!?," yelled Jou.  
  
"He'd be awesome to have on our team when we play paintball against the senior class next week!," chimed in Honda.  
  
". . . . .You've GOT to be kidding me. . . .," muttered Anzu as she shook her head.  
  
"Santa" blinked and looked all around. "Yuugi, what's going on?!"  
  
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'Alright, fat boy, now you've crossed the line...NO one yells at MY aibou...'  
  
*CHH CHH*  
  
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"INCOMING!!!!," yelled Yuugi as he flipped the coffee table over so it was laying on its side and could be used as a shield.  
  
Jou and Honda emptied out the candy bowls and quickly put one on each of their heads; peeking out from behind the couch cushions.  
  
"GET HIM! GET HIM!," they both yelled, getting into this whole "take down "Santa" bit a lil TOO much."  
  
"YOU GUYS!," yelled Anzu and Yuugi.  
  
". . . . . . . " The two both grinned sheepishly and chanted quietly. "Get him! Get him!"  
  
"Santa" was hit....He stumbled backwards and then fell backwards onto the carpet with a small THUD.  
  
"STAY...DOWN...," whispered Yuugi and Anzu.  
  
"GET....UP...," whispered Jou and Honda, who soon got glares of death shot at them.  
  
"Santa" stayed put...  
  
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Yami stood atop of the stairs, his back against the wall, peeking out. He felt mighty proud. He had saved them ALL from the EVIL Clause! He smirked happily and rather smug like, he wore a green vest, a green bandana tied around his forhead, black and green "war paint" on his cheeks (aka: left over make-up from Halloween), and in his hand was a paint ball gun that had been altered, in his bandolier were Grade A eggs (only the best for such a mission) =^.^=...nothing to be messed with.  
  
He quickly slinked back down the hallway and into Yuugi's room; happy that his mission had been successful. If fat boy dared come back tonight he had more traps where that came from...this had only been the beginning....  
  
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"...I...think...he's gone...," whispered Yuugi as he peeked out from under the coffee table. "Ok, Grandpa, ditch the suit and the beard and run upstairs before he sees you!," he continued to whisper.  
  
"Santa" ditched the suit quite quickly....everyone covered their eyes with their hands.  
  
"ACK!"  
  
"Whoops...ehehehehehehe...." Grandpa made a mad dash up the stairs in his candy cane boxer shorts and his Santa "Got Milk?" t-shirt.   
  
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"...Sorry about that guys....Merry Christmas.," apologized Yuugi as he held the door open wishing them each a Merry Christmas.  
  
"Hey Yuug, nothing to apologize for. That was GREAT...hey, have Yami call us about paintball ok?"  
  
"...Sure, Jou....," sighed Yuugi shaking his head.  
  
"Thanks for inviting me, Yuugi.,"started Honda. "Thanks a bunch for the gift."  
  
"No problem, Honda. What are friends for?"  
  
"See you later, Yuugi.," stated Anzu with a smile. "Merry Christmas. Please wish Yami a Merry Christmas for me, as well."  
  
"Sure thing, Anzu." Yuugi waved. "Bye guys! See you after Christmas!" He shut the door behind him  
  
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Yuugi slowly walked up the stairs. 'What on earth am I supposed to say? G, Yami, ya know we DON'T egg "Santa" in this household....I hardly think that will work.'  
  
He opened the door to his room to find everything in order and left the way it had been when he had gone downstairs earlier. Yuugi looked around and then his eyes fell on the bed where the Millenium Puzzle lay and no Yami in sight.  
  
'He must be all tired out from his "egging"....Oy vey...I don't know what I'm gonna do about you, Yami.' Yuugi smiled down at the puzzle and shook his head.  
  
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Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.   
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.   
Yuugi was nestled all snug in his bed, While visions of Duel Monsters danced in his head, And Grandpa in his boxers, and Yami in his combat uniform, Had just settled their brains for a long winter's nap...  
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, Yami sprang from his puzzle to see what was the matter. Away to the window he flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash (or in this case, Yuugi's Pokemon curtains).  
  
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to Yami's wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, He knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.  
  
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:  
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!  
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!  
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!  
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"  
  
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.  
  
And then, in a twinkling, Yami heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.  
  
As Yami drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.  
  
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.  
  
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.  
  
His eyes -- how they twinkled -- his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.  
  
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath. He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.  
  
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And Yami's mouth dropped when he saw him. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave Yami to know he had everything to dread.  
  
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,  
Yami had fat boy in sight as a *CHH CHH* was heard and Santa Clause blinked and backed away slowly. Santa had stumbled back into a trap and Yami smirked as the culprit was apprehended and waved his index finger back and forth. "Gotcha Fat Boy" was all that came out of his mouth.  
Santa chuckled at Yami and gave the boy a pat on the head. "Don't worry, I didn't forget your gifts this year."  
Yami blinked and backed away slowly, being touched by the fat boy was sure in hell not holy....  
And Santa laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.  
  
He sprang to his sleigh, to his teams gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.  
  
But Yami heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"  
Yami through down the paintball gun and was last seen running upstairs as he dashed back to Yuugi's room and jumped on the bed.  
Yuugi opened his eyes to find a terrible sight, Yami was shaking and obviously in shock. "What's wrong?," Yuugi asked before he heard sleigh bells ringing. "No way! You saw Santa Clause, wait til I tell all my friends!" And with that Yuugi rolled over and went back to sleep.  
Yami sat there shaking as he heard the sleigh bells fade in the night air and covered his head with the blankets not wanting to see the light. He was heard whispering before he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. "Merry Christmas, Aibou and good night. Next year fat boy, you won't take flight."  
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Merry Christmas All!!!! That's it for my Christmas chapters! PLEASE review! I REALLY wanna know if you thought it was funny!!! =^.^= Ja Ne! 


	13. Chapter 13

Asuka02RedEva  
Serenitymoon@lycos.com  
Disclaimer: do not own Yu-Gi Oh! etc.  
  
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I'm a mad at the moment so please excuse any errors, i typed this up once, file didn't save not too happy about typing it again....  
  
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The holidays had passed and everything was back to normal. Okay, Okay so the Mouto's were busy cleaning up left over egg shells from Yami's escapades and Jou and Honda had Yami play paintball with them against the Senior class and the all learned an important lesson: Yami and a paintball gun do not mix, neither do Yami and pixie-sticks, but now that is a story better left for another time...  
  
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Lately, Yami did nothing but sit up in Yuugi's room and stare out the window. The truth of the matter was that he felt rather used. He of course loved his Aibou and would do anything to protect him, but he wanted more. He wanted to be like everyone else. He'd watch a group of teenagers pass by outside without a care in the world. He wished that he could be as nonchelant, but he knew deep down that it would never be.  
  
He sighed as he pressed his hand against the cool glass of the bedroom window.   
  
'I wish I could remember all of my past. I wish there was someway for me to go back in time.' He stopped his train of thought and shook his head. 'That's nonsense, Yami.,' he corrected himself, 'There is no way to go back in time...perhaps I am not meant to...'  
  
He sighed once more, his breath on the window caused it to fog up for a moment.  
  
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Anzu stood on the sidewalk below, looking up at the window Yami was standing in front of.  
  
'He looks so sad...but most of all he looks lost.'  
  
She continued to watch him knowing that he was oblivious to her being there.  
  
'...Yami...,' she sighed, 'Yuugi told me you've been depressed lately and that he's worried about you...I don't know how I can help you, but I know that I have to try. I can't stand seeing you so sad.'  
  
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Yami moved away from the window, he could sense his Aibou trying to talk with him through their mind link, but he just did not feel like talking.  
  
'Gomen Nasai, Aibou, but with my future so unclear to me I'd rather not talk to you...I don't understand what I am; what I'm doing here, or my purpose for being released from the Millenium Puzzle.,' he thought to himself.  
  
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Yuugi had told Anzu to go ahead upstairs and talk to Yami. Yuugi knew if anyone could get through to Yami then it would be her.  
  
She had knocked on the bedroom door at least three times already. Finally she figured she had better just open the door slowly.  
  
As she opened the door and peeked her head in her eyes fell on him.  
  
He was now sitting on Yuugi's bed. One of his legs was propped up so that his chin was rested on his knee; his other leg lay flat on the bed. She noted that he seemed to be deep in thought.  
  
'Maybe I should just come back later?'  
  
As she took a step back the hardwood floor creaked.  
  
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The Eye of Horus appeared on his forehead as he continued to look in the same direction as before.  
  
"Hello, Anzu. Is there something you needed?," he asked her in an almost monotone tone of voice.  
  
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She stopped and was almost shocked by his tone of voice; it was as if he didn't care if she were there or not.  
  
'That doesn't sound like the Yami I've grown to know over the past months.'  
  
She turned around and faced him. He hadn't even acknowledged her being there.  
  
"I cam to see if you were alright, but if you don't want me here then I'll just leave and go back home."  
  
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Yami sighed and turned his attention to her. He could see hurt and annoyance lingering on her facial features.  
  
"Gomen Nasai, Anzu....please forgive me. Lately, I've been thinking a great deal about the mysteries of my past."  
  
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Anzu's face lightened and she smiled a small smile as she took a seat next to him on the bed.  
  
"It must be hard, not to mention frustrating to have your future so unclear to you."  
  
She could see just how depressed he really was and thought that now would be a good time to change the subject.  
  
"...So...Jou and Honda tell me that they took you to go paintball'ing with them...how'd that go?"  
  
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Yami thought about this and then realization dawned on him.  
  
"Oh, the weapon that fires the balls; it went well.," he replied with a small smile.  
  
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"Jou and Honda said that you beat the seniors. I think that's great and all," part of her thought it was a little dangerous but boys will be boys, plus she had seen Yami's aim, "no class has ever beaten them before."  
  
Yami arched an eye brow at her. "Seniors?"  
  
"Yeah, who did you think you were competing against?," Anzu replied with a question and a puzzled look.  
  
"Jou and Honda told me we were competing against Santa's little helpers.," he stated, just as serious as could be.  
  
". . . . . ." Anzu blinked, she couldn't believe it. 'Damn you boys; you'd do anything to win.' "Yeah of course you were playing against...Santa's...little...helpers.," she managed to choke out the words. "They...uh...just...sometimes...well they..."  
  
"They use the name "seniors" to hide their true identities?," asked Yami oblivious to all.  
  
Anzu sweatdropped and just couldn't bring herself to steering Yami in any other direction. "...mmm....hmmm....," she replied with a smile and a nod. 'Thank God, Christmas only comes once a year.'  
  
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"I'm sure Aibou told you to come over, am I correct?," Yami asked arching an eye brow.  
  
'Aibou? Oh! Yuugi, of course.' Anzu smiled at the thought. 'He really cares for Yuugi.' "Yes he did, Yami. Yuugi's really worried about you."  
  
"I don't mean to worry him, Anzu. I just feel that with so much of my past being a mystery that the less he has to deal with the better off he'll be. He shouldn't have to worry about people like Pegasus coming after him because of myself and the Millenium Puzzle. I sometimes wonder if I should just find a way to leave him."  
  
Anzu couldn't believe what she was hearing. Yami wanted to leave them? Leave Yuugi?? Leave her???  
  
'What am I thinking about myself for? What would Yuugi do without Yami?' "You can't!," she blurted out, much to her surprise and Yami's.  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"...You...can't...leave..." Anzu blushed looking down at her hands which were in her lap. "...Yuugi would be devastated if you left..."  
  
Yami blinked in surprise. 'Aibou? Devastated?' "Anzu, I'm sure that Yuugi would be fine without me."  
  
"Actually, Yami, I don't think he would be. Before you came he was always being bullied, he never stood up for himself, and I've noticed a change in him."  
  
"A change?"  
  
"It's a good one, Yami. Yuugi now stands up for himself~~you've done a lot for him whether you know it or not.," she explained.  
  
"...I see...," he began, "Well I may have influenced him to stand up for his beliefs, but at what price? Pegasus would have never taken Yuugi's Grandfather's soul if the Millenium Puzzle and myself were not around. I fear that Pegasus was only the beginning."  
  
"...Oh..." Anzu sighed trying to think of what she could possibly say to make light of the subject. It was the truth though and she and Yami both knew it. Yuugi's life would be threatened if Yami stayed in it; but would it be better without him?  
  
"Yami, I think that your leaving him now would be worse than anything anyone else could possibly do to him. He loves you, Yami.," she explained with a smile on her face. "Don't tell Jou," she whispered and then winked, "but I think you've become his bestfriend."  
  
Yami blinked and then smirked. "You know I could rub that in Jou's face, Anzu."  
  
"Don't you dare!," she yelled at him, not angry, more with an "I don't want to die!" tone.  
  
Yami smirked and took her hand in his. "Don't worry, Anzu; I'll protect you from Jou's evil rath. If you're lucky he'll forget about it by lunch time, or better yet, we may see him chasing after the ice cream truck."  
  
Anzu couldn't help but laugh and then looked down at their hands. His hand was still holding hers; she could feel a small blush creep onto her cheeks.  
  
"Yami...would you....like to..."  
  
"Get out and go somewhere else?," he asked finishing her sentence.  
  
Anzu nodded and blushed even more. "We could see a movie or uh...go to the card shop downtown...it's up to you."  
  
"Up to me, hmmm?," his smirk softened to a smile, "Let's go to the card shop and then see where the road takes us, alright?"  
  
"S-sure. The day is full of possibilities."  
  
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'My Pharaoh, I've finally arrived in Japan. Now I must find you in order for the events of the near future to take place. Soon my Pharaoh, soon....'  
  
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That's it! Sorry for errors but I'm too lazy to do anything about them, my wrists kill, I've got carp tunnel in them and i'm done typing for the day, i only put out this chapter because i promised i would! take care and review, ja ne =V.V= 


	14. Chapter 14

Asuka02RedEva  
Serenitymoon@lycos.com  
Disclaimer: Finally, my oh so "helpful" assistant is back. Now without further delay....if you please.....*Silver Fang holds up the disclaimer sign*  
  
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Yami walked down the street next to Anzu. Anzu arched an eyebrow and noticed the two small pendants that she had given Yami for Christmas on a thin gold chain around his neck.  
  
Yami noticed her looking at him out of the corner of his eye and smiled (just a little bit, this is Yami after all).   
  
"I told you that I liked them, Anzu."  
  
Anzu blushed and looked down as she walked along side of him.  
  
"I'd like to go to the library first, if that's alright, Anzu.," he began, "I'd like to research the pendants that you gave me."  
  
She looked up at him at first puzzled. "Well, they are Egyptian, perhaps they may help you to remember something more."  
  
"Hai, Anzu, that's what I'm hoping for."  
  
"I hope that you know how much I want to help you, Yami."  
  
He looked at her out of the corner of his eye once more. "Hai, Anzu. You're friendship means a great deal to me."  
  
Anzu couldn't help but sigh; she was glad that he valued her as a friend, but at the same time she couldn't help but feel a little hurt. "....Thanks....," she sighed and continued to walk along side of him. 'It's not like it's a big deal or anything. Why am I suddenly feeling so down all of a sudden?'  
  
Yami would have noticed Anzu's newly found depression if something hadn't caught his attention, out of the corner of his eye. The Eye of Horus appeared on his forehead for a moment, causing him to stop.  
  
Anzu who had been so deep in her thoughts had continued walking. 'So what if he doesn't like me as anything more than a friend. Wait...where did that come from? ....Do I want him to----'  
  
She stopped short when she looked over to her side to find him no longer there. "Yami?," she asked outloud as she looked all around.  
  
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Yami had taken off down an alley way after seeing a figure that had caught his eye. The Eye of Horus shown brightly on his forehead now.  
  
"Wait!," he yelled as he climbed the fence in the alley way and leaped down landing on the other side in a crouching position. 'Well, whoever it was they're gone now.' He stood up and sighed. 'Anzu must think I just left her for no reason.'  
  
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'Was it something I said?,' wondered Anzu as she walked towards the library. 'He said he wanted to go to the library. I just hope he'll be there. He really does mean a lot to me, and---' She blinked from her thoughts. '...What am I thinking? Yami's my friend and nothing more, not now and not....'   
  
She sighed and continued walking down the street...  
  
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When Yami had finally made it back to where he had left Anzu so suddenly, he saw her no where in sight.  
  
'Dammit. I didn't mean to leave her like that. I sensed a presence and then I saw someone.'   
  
He sighed and headed toward the library.  
  
'I have a feeling that she's gone to the library to look for me.'  
  
He took the two Egyptian pendants that were around his neck and clutched them in his left hand.  
  
'I cannot be sure if these pendants have anything to do with my past, but I feel that whatever I do learn from them will be beneficial to find some of the answers to my questions.'  
  
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Anzu slowly walked up the steps to the library...  
  
'Even if Yami isn't here maybe I could still do some research of my own to try and help him....I really don't know what could have happened.'  
  
As she opened the door to the library, she sweatdropped hearing two familiar voices, and the voice of the librarian. She peeked around the corner to find Jou and Honda sitting at a table with books covering most of the table top, and the librarian trying to keep them quiet.  
  
'...What a bunch of bakas...' She sighed and walked up to them...  
  
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Yami walked into the library and looked around. He was interested to know if Anzu was there already and he wished to apologize to her. Just as he was about to go into the study room he was snagged by the librarian.  
  
"May I help you sir?," she asked.  
  
"Hai, I am looking for...," Yami began and then sweatdropped. '...The hell is she doing?'  
  
The librarian was giving Yami the once over.  
  
"...For a book on Egyptian symbols and their meanings." He continued to sweatdrop as the woman walked around him with a finger up to her chin.  
  
"A book on Egyptian symbols...hai, I do believe we have a whole section in our library dedicated to the Ancient Egyptian culture."  
  
"...Great...um...miss?" Yami started turning around trying to keep the librarian in his sight. "...Would you please show me where the section is?"  
  
"...Of course.," she replied with a wink. "You're so polite, no one is ever polite anymore."  
  
Yami kept right on sweatdropping and followed the librarian to the section of the library that held the information that he needed.  
  
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Anzu was busy trying to help Jou and Honda with their research papers. Neither knew how to use a card catalogue, or had even heard of a lovely thing called the "index", which could be found at the back of the book, a novel concept.  
  
"I've got better things to do with my time then write a paper about some dead guy for history class."  
  
"Guy?! Joan of Arc was NOT a guy, Jou." Anzu sighed and shook her head. '....Hopeless....'  
  
"Even I knew that.," Honda chimmed in, "I've got to research Nepolian."  
  
Anzu looked around her at the mess of papers, books, snacks that Jou and Honda had snuck in, and other assorted things that had been sucked into the disaster area.  
  
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Yami took off the gold chain (that held the pendants), from around his neck. He opened a book that had been translated and started searching for the symbols that matched his pendants.  
  
The librarian looked on in curiousity. She couldn't understand what could have sparked his facination for Ancient Egypt. "Kids today," she started, "they always surprise you."  
  
Yami was too intent on finding the meaning to the pendants that he completely blocked the woman out. 'No...not this one either. They have to be here somewhere.'  
  
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"So, Anzu, you never told us why you were here. Do you have a research project to do for the old bat as well?," asked Jou.  
  
Anzu had completely forgotten why she had come to the library in the first place; that was until Jou had asked her.  
  
"That's right. I came to help, Yami."  
  
"Is Yami alright, Anzu?," questioned Honda.  
  
"Is he in some sort of trouble or something? Because no one messed with one of my pals."  
  
"...No, it's nothing like that, you guys. Yami doesn't know much about his past, so we were going to come here together and research the pendants I gave him for Christmas. He thinks that they might somehow be linked to his past, their meaning anyways."  
  
"OOOOOOOO," came two obviously confused replies.  
  
"You know that's really gotta suck. Yami's done so much for all of us and there isn't really anything we can do for him."  
  
Anzu sighed, looking down at her hands which were now in her lap.  
  
"Thank you, Captain Obvious," stated Honda, "...or maybe oblivious fits you better. Cheer up, Anzu, I'm sure everything will be fine. Hey, wait a minute, didn't you say you were going to come to the library with Yami?"  
  
"...Hai, I was..."  
  
"Where is he?," asked Jou, looking around.  
  
"I don't know. One minute he was with me, the next he was gone. IT was like he just disappeared."  
  
". . . . . . ." Jou and Honda both sweatdropped.  
  
"Yami doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would just run out on you."  
  
"Jou's right, Anzu. Something much have come up, and it must have been pretty quick."  
  
"...I just wish I knew what it was."  
  
"Well, we'll help you find some information, won't we Honda?"  
  
"Sure we will; Yami's our friend too."  
  
"Arigato...oh...and guys?"  
  
"Yes?," both replied waiting for her question.  
  
"What's this I hear about Santa's little "helpers"?"  
  
". . . . . . . . ."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami continued searching until he found both of the symbols in the book.  
  
'....So this is what they are?' He arched an eye brow looking down at the pendants and comparing them to the pictures in the book. "Excuse me, miss, but you please find me a book that would contain information about these two symbols?"  
  
The librarian gave him the once over again, and then took the book from his hand and went off to find more information.  
  
Yami continued to sit on the floor when a certain book caught his attention. He took the book from the shelf and read its title out loud. "...Bel..Um...Fal..." '...Why does it feel like I should know about this book?'   
  
He opened the book to find it all in heiroglyphs. He ran his fingers along the ancient writing and pictures that were on one of the pages. '....This symbol represents Egypt itself...and this one...the pharaoh....the bird represents the people and how they adore the pharaoh...' He blinked. '....How did I?....'  
  
The librarian came back and set down a few books in front of him with book marked pages. She smiled. "I wouldn't be too surprised, young man, no one can understand that book. I'll put it back on the shelf for you and you can look over some of the books that I found."  
  
"...No...wait...I'd like to continue reading it...."  
  
The librarian blinked. "Reading it???? You can honestly tell me that you understand it????" She laughed quite amuzed. "...Oh, that was a good one, but if you want to look through it be my guest." With that she walked off leaving Yami to his reading.  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"....So you're telling me that you used,Yami?"  
  
"Used is such a harsh word, Anzu."  
  
"...Jou's right we just stretched the truth a little..."  
  
"...God you should have seen him, Anzu! We were like....DUCK...and he was like....WHERE?...and we were like INCOMING...and he was like KA-SPLAT! And it was SO sweet!"  
  
"..............." Anzu sweatdropped. "....I....see...."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The Eye of Horus shown lightly on his forehead as he sat on the floor with the book in his lap, his back to the rest of the library.  
  
'.....The Egyptian book of the dead....here are all the pharaoh's who ruled Egypt...at one time....'   
  
He flipped the page in the book and continued to read on.  
  
'....Could I be in this book? ....Dammit...I don't even know my real name, how in hell am I supposed to know if any of these pharaoh's could be me?' He sighed at first in defeat and then shook his head. '...I can't give up hope...someday I'll remember who I truly am.'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu, Jou,and Honda stood in the doorway of the room that Yami was in.  
  
"...What's he doing?," whispered Jou.  
  
"...What's it look like he's doing, baka? Reading the book...," replied Honda with a whisper.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Anzu covered Jou's mouth and sighed. "...Quiet, we don't want to disturb him." '....I wonder if he's been able to find anything yet.' She noticed how Yami's posture gave evidence of frustration. '....I know that all I ever say is how sorry I am for you, Yami, but I don't know what else to say. I want to help you so much, but I don't know how...'  
  
"You think Yami would help us with our projects?"  
  
"....I think he's a little busy right now, Jou."  
  
"...Damn...guess you're right, Honda...back to the drawing board...catch ya later, Anzu."  
  
"....You guys, I thought you were going to HELP..."  
  
"...Well we WOULD but...this project is kind of due....tomorrow..."  
  
"....Why does this NOT surprise me?" Anzu sighed and turned her attention back to Yami. She took a deep breath and slowly started toward him. '...Maybe he doesn't want to see me? Maybe that's why he left in the first place...'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami continued to read the Egyptian book. As Anzu looked over his shoulder she heard him whisper.  
  
"....And there was a pharaoh....so powerful....that he sacrificed himself to save the world....his name..." He hung his head and sighed heavily. "....unknown for it was never found...."  
  
Anzu stepped back, feeling her heart sink along with Yami's. A tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
Yami heard something and turned around to find Anzu drop to her knees and wrap her arms around him.  
  
"Gomen Nasai, Yami...gomen nasai..."  
  
Yami was startled at first and then hugged her back, just sitting there with her on the library floor....  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That's it for this week! Ja Ne! =^.^= Please R/R 


	15. Chapter 15

Asuka02RedEva  
serenitymoon@lycos.com  
disclaimer: I do not own yu-gi oh! or any of the characters used in this story.  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
hey all! hope you haven't lost interest in my fic, i'm REALLY sorry about being so slow...over a month...*sob sob*...college is just SO time consuming is all...i hope that all of you are doing well and that you'll give my chapter a review! =^.^= take care!  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Yami was taken back at first by Anzu's sudden outburst. He half smiled and held her in his arms.  
  
"Anzu, it's alright, you know. Now, why are you crying?"  
  
Anzu felt quite embarrassed suddenly, her arms still wrapped around him.   
  
"Gomen Nasai, Yami...," she began, wiping away some of her stray tears, "I only wish that there was something I could do to help you. I over heard you reading that book," she motioned to the book of the dead laying next to them, open on the floor, "and I can't imagine how hard it must be for you not knowing your name."  
  
Yami sighed quietly, resting his chin on her shoulder and looking down at the carpet. "Hai, it is hard, Anzu," he whispered, "but it's more frustrating than anything else. I have this feeling that something is coming and that I will need to protect, Yuugi."  
  
"Protect him from what?," she asked, arching an eye brow, a slight blush tinting her cheeks.  
  
"I'm not quite sure," he began, slowly closing his eyes as if deep in thought, his chin still resting on her shoulder, "...I sense an evil presence lingering, that's why I disappeared earlier. Gomen nasai if it looked as if I had abandoned you, that was not my intention."  
  
"Who or what did you find?," she asked.  
  
"I saw someone watching us, the figure was wearing some sort of cloak; I chased it into an alley way, but it jumped the fence before I would get there. By the time I made it over the fence, whoever it was, was gone."  
  
"...You think someone is after you? Or maybe Yuugi?"  
  
"If someone is after either myself or my Aibou, be assured that I will allow no harm to come to Yuugi."  
  
'He sounds so selfless,' she thought, 'He's putting Yuugi before himself...'  
  
"I will not let anything happen to you or the others as well, Anzu."  
  
Anzu blushed after hearing his words. There were moments like these that she would love to tell him how she truly felt about him, but then he would always have to say....  
  
"Because you are Yuugi's and my friends."  
  
...She was so close, yet so far away from telling him. The truth of the matter, was when he said that good old F word, "friend", she felt that it was pretty much hopeless that he would return her affections.  
  
"Is everything alright, Anzu?," he asked, now holding her at arms length and arching an eye brow.  
  
'Oh great! I spaced out!,' she yelled mentally. "Hai, everything is fine.," she replied with a smile trying to cover up for herself. "So...were you able to find out anything about the pendants?"  
  
"I almost forgot about them.," he reached into his pocket and took them out, holding them in his hand. "I did find out a great deal about both of them."  
  
"Really???," she looked down at the pendants in his hand, "Do they have something to do with your past?"  
  
"This pendant is a symbol known as the Eye of Horus," he began, pointing to which one he meant. "It is the same symbol that appears on the Millennium Puzzle. I read that the Eye of Horus is a symbol among the Pharoah's of Ancient Egypt. The symbol itself is a sign of protection and a renewal of the Pharaoh's power..."  
  
Anzu blinked and figured it was better not to interrupt him, but instead let him continue. She could always ask questions later, after all.  
  
"It is said that the Eye of Horus was passed down to the Pharoah's by the God known as Horus himself.," Yami noticed Anzu's confused expression and smiled, "Basically, the Eye of Horus had the power to protect and renew the Pharaoh's power throughout each dynasty. I also came across a book that said that the Eye of Horus was so powerful that no living creature could ever merge with its power, however, I was thinking and...."  
  
Anzu's eyes went wide and she practically jumped up from where she had been sitting. "Yami! You---"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The librarian came around the corner and slid her glasses half way down her nose, tapping the toe of her high heel shoe on the tile floor. She held up a black sign with white lettering saying "QUIET".  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu sweatdropped and blushed slightly. "Gomen nasai," she whispered as she watched the librarian smile at Yami and then walk back to her desk.  
  
"Yami...," she began with a whisper, "that symbol, the Eye of Horus, I've seen it before; it appears on your forhead when you duel sometimes or when you sense something isn't right." She had almost a "wow" face.  
  
"I know, Anzu.," he replied, looking down at the Millennium Puzzle around his neck.   
  
"...That means that you really were a Pharoah and not just a Pharaoh but a really powerful one at that...so that's where your power comes from, huh?"  
  
"A great deal, I believe does come from the Eye of Horus, however, I think I possess more powerful magic, but it is surpressed within my memories."  
  
"I see...and what about the other pendant?," she asked quite curious to know what the other one could possibly mean.  
  
Yami looked down at the second of the two pendants and looked rather confused. "I'm afraid, I do not know how this pendant could possibly be linked to my past..."  
  
"Oh?," Anzu arched an eye brow, "What does it mean?"  
  
"...It's an Egyptian Goddess, she's actually the mother of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses..."  
  
"...Hmm...G, Yami, I don't know how this pendant could be connected to your past either."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yuugi layed on his back on his bed watching tv. 'I hope that Yami will be home soon, he wouldn't want to miss Hamtaro and Pokemon.'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami and Anzu had started back toward her house. He had offered to walk her home; part of him still felt as if he were being watched.  
  
"Yami, you really don't have to walk me home. I'm sure that Yuugi will wonder where you are~~it is getting late after all."  
  
"It's alright, Anzu. He will understand that I merely wished to see that you got home safely."  
  
"Do you think that the figure you chased earlier is still around?"  
  
"I'm not sure, but my guard is up for the time being. It's been too quiet lately and I feel that the closer I become to solving my past, the more dangers will arise."  
  
'...So Yami really may be in danger and Yuugi too. Maybe he shouldn't try to find the answers to his past anymore? Maybe he could just start a new life here with Yuugi and me?,' she sighed and shook her head, ...No...he has a right to know about his past....'  
  
Yami seemed to know what Anzu was thinking, he could read her expressions like a book. "I know that the road to regaining my memories will be difficult and dangerous, Anzu...but you need to trust me."  
  
His words caught her off guard. "Of course I trust you, Yami...I just worry about you is all."  
  
"I do not wish for my aibou to know about my past, my search for it, or that I am the spirit of a 5,020 year old Pharoah, do you understand me?," he asked, sounding quite firm, that he would not tolerate any less than his request.  
  
Anzu couldn't understand why he wouldn't want Yuugi, of all people, to know what was going on. "Yami...I can't believe that you want to keep this from, Yuugi. Doesn't he have a right to know??? I think it's almost selfish to...," she trailed off.  
  
Yami stopped a few feet in front of her, his temper flaring. "Anzu, you do not have the right to judge me. You do not even know me. If I choose to keep this from Yuugi then it is because I am looking out for his best interest, and I do not wish for him to worry about me. He has enough to deal with as is."  
  
Anzu noticed the sound of his voice and almost winced. He had never been so harsh sounding to her. "...You're right...," she whispered, "I don't know you...I don't know you at all!"   
  
With that she took off running past Yami and down the street. Yami watched her run from him and sighed, turning on his heel to head back to the game shop.  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'I thought that I knew him, but I guess I was wrong.,' thought Anzu as she turned a corner, smacking into someone. "Gomen nasai!," she blurted out, quickly bowing her head in embarrassment.   
  
When she heard no reply to her apology she slowly looked up to come face to face with a mysterious woman.  
  
"You were with the Pharaoh were you not?," the woman asked, her face covered half way by a vail.  
  
"....What do you know about, Yami?," Anzu asked arching an eye brow.  
  
"That is none of your concern. Could you get a message to the Pharaoh for me?" The woman made sure to keep her face hidden from Anzu.   
  
"...A message? No, I can't. I'm not on speaking terms with "the Pharaoh".," replied Anzu, quite sarcastically.  
  
"...Foolish, girl...you should not stay mad at him merely because of your own selfish intentions...," the woman stated.  
  
Anzu started to fume. "ExCUSE me? MY selfish intentions?! He's the one---" She figured she best not say too much. In any case, this woman seemed to know of Yami and that he was indeed the spirit of a 5,020 year old Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. '...She's not right, I'm not being selfish...am I?"   
  
"I don't have much time, can you or can't you get a message to the Pharaoh?," the woman seemed to speak with urgency clear in her voice.  
  
"....Hai.....I can get a message to Yami...."  
  
"Arigato...you must tell the Pharaoh that he must come to the Domino Museum tomorrow morning at 7, before the museum opens. It is very important that he come."  
  
"How do I know you're not setting him up?," Anzu asked arching an eye brow.   
  
"...You don't...but tell him if he wants information about his past to come..."  
  
"...Information about his---" Anzu stopped in mid sentence and blinked. "...She's...gone?"  
  
The woman had disappeared as if into thin air, leaving Anzu to think about the woman's request.  
  
'...It could be some sort of a trap...and it's not like Yami's and my last discussion ended on a good note...what should I do?'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami walked slowly down the street toward the game shop; his hands in his pockets and his shoulders seeming to slouch as he looked at his reflection in the poorly lit windows of local shops as he passed them by.  
  
'...It is very complex...I wish to be with my Aibou always, yet at the same time I wish to pursue my mission of finding out about my past...I do not believe that wanting to protect someone you love is a selfish act. If I thought my decisions would in any way harm my Aibou then I would give up my own desires without a second thought. I did not mean to upset, Anzu...but she was right in one assumption, she does not know me...and she most likely never will...'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu sighed, "...I have to tell him...," she whispered outloud to no one but herself. "...If I don't, then I really would be selfish...but it is so wrong to want to protect someone that you l..."  
  
She turned on her heel and headed home. '...I'll just give him a call once I get home...or perhaps Yuugi could give him a message...no...Yami doesn't want Yuugi to know, I sure hope he knows what he's doing is all...'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami walked up the steps to the game shop and slowly opened the door. He saw Grandpa sacked out on the couch watching some old western movie. He shook his head hearing Grandpa comment about how great "the duke" was. (john wayne if none of you know who "the duke" was. great actor ^.^ whoops! back to the story).   
  
He carefully made his way around the soda cans and pieces of pop corn and various snack foods on the floor.  
  
'...Did Yuugi invite Jou and Honda over? Or has Grandpa been spending a little too much time in front of the glowing box with people in it? ....And...how do they get those people in the box anyways?...'  
  
He shrugged and walked up the stairs to Yuugi's and his room. He quietly opened the door in order not to startle his Aibou. When he peeked in he sweatdropped, standing in the door way watching his Aibou sit on the bed.  
  
"LA LA LA LA...little hamtaro...."  
  
'...........................................................................'  
  
"Yami! You're back!"   
  
Yami walked into the bedroom and shut the door, smiling at his Aibou's motions.  
  
"Hai, sorry if you were worried, Aibou." He sad down next to Yuugi on the bed.   
  
"It's alright, Yami...Where were you?," Yuugi asked leaning up against Yami.  
  
Yami arched an eye brow at the hampsters on tv running around and doing hampster things. He sweatdropped figuring it best to try and not understand the things mortals find entertaining...  
  
"I went for a walk and Anzu joined me.," he replied, leaning up against the head board of the bed.  
  
Yuugi arched an eye brow. "So Anzu was able to help you?"  
  
"Help me with what?," Yami too arched an eye brow answering Yuugi's question, with a question.  
  
"Help you with whatever was on your mind. You don't talk to me anymore...in fact we haven't really talked since Christmas...and...if I did something wrong..."  
  
Yami sighed softly, "You've done nothing wrong, gomen nasai, I've just been doing a lot of thinking recently is all..."  
  
"...I've missed you, Yami...," Yuugi gave him a big hug.   
  
Yami smiled and pat his Aibou's head. '...I promise that as long as you need me, I'll be there for you...even if that means that I never find all the answers to my past...'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu took off her shoes and threw them into her closet, shutting the closet door afterwards. She then started looking for the phone which she knew was somewhere amongst the pile of clothes on her bed, or was it under her papers? Or maybe next to her back pack.  
  
She sighed as she continued to search for the missing phone. After a few minutes she did in deed find it and then thought about what to say to Yami. A list of choices ran through her head: "G, Yami sorry I ran off on you like that, but some woman wants you to come to the museum at 7 tomorrow..." "...Hey Yami, it's Anzu, the strangest thing happened after I ran off on you..." "...Yami, go to the museum at 7 am..." She figured the last one was way too cryptic.  
  
"Guess I'll wing it..."  
  
She pushed the number on speed dial...  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Utchan's Okonomiyaki, how can I help you???"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu sweatdropped... "Gomen...Nasai....wrong number...." She clicked the off button and sat there for a moment. "...That was odd... must have hit the wrong button....better try again..."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Nekohanten, can I take your order?"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
".....Gomen......wrong number....."   
  
After 3 or more times of getting Japanese restaurants she figured to just dial the number. Her eye twitched as each of the buttons went "BEEP" as she pushed them. '...Damn you, Jounouchi...you re-programmed my phone to fit the needs of your stomach.'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Grandpa heard the phone ringing. "No! No! This is the best part! Yuugi! Yami! Get the phone!"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yuugi rolled his eyes, "Grandpa and his movies..."  
  
"It's alright, Aibou...I'll get it." Yami hopped off the bed and ran downstairs to get the phone. He sweatdropped to see the phone was only a foot from the old man. '.................' He sighed and looked at the ringing device. '...What button...hmmm....Aibou showed me once....'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'Maybe no one is home?,' Anzu thought seeming how the phone had rung at least 15 times already....  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'...Talk, End, 1, 2abc, 3def.....'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'....Well it's important that he gets this message...I guess I could try back later...'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'....Talk....that sounds familiar....'   
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu hears a click and then what appears to be the sounds of gun shots and people screaming.   
  
"...Um...hello????"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami reaches for the remote and turns it down a little. "Hello? "  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"..............." 'Oh great! What do I say?!' ".....Hi....Yami?"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Hai, this is Yami. Anzu is that you?" He goes to take the phone into the other room and steps on what appears to be left over cheese dip. '.....For the love of.....'   
  
....Heads toward the kitchen....  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hai, it's Anzu. I have a message for you, actually...when I ran away..." She figured it best to steer clear of that subject. "...I ran into some woman...and she knows who you are, that you're the Pharoah and all."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"....How????..." Yami was busy cleaning off the goo from the bottom of his boot with a wet paper towel. "Did she give you her name?"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I don't know, Yami," Anzu began, "No she didn't give her name, but she wants to meet you...it could be some sort of trap so that's what I called."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Even if it is a trap, Anzu, I have to go...if she knows who I am and anything about my past...then I have no choice. When and where does she want me to meet her?"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'...Just like that he's going to go???' "...She said the Domino Museum at 7am tomorrow..."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Arigato for giving me the message, Anzu. Also, gomen nasai for earlier; I did not mean to---"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"It was my fault, Yami. I had no right to judge you.," she sighed a sigh of relief. '...That's the Yami that I know...'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Again, arigato, and take care, Anzu. I'll talk to you again soon."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Bye, Yami. You take care of yourself too, tomorrow and all..."   
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I will, Anzu. Good night." With that he hung up the phone and walked out of the kitchen, turning off the light. '...So this woman claims to know who I am? Could she help me solve the mysteries of my past? ....Or could it be a trap?'   
  
Suddenly he stopped, looking down at his other boot.  
  
'Dammit!'   
  
With that he headed for the kitchen once again with cheesy goo and any other food on the floor now sticking to his boot.  
  
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Please review! ^.^ ja ne! 


	16. Chapter 16

Asuka02RedEva  
Serenitymoon@lycos.com  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi Oh! Or any of the characters used in this story....I would love to have Yami though, but what girl wouldn't?  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
You guys are great, ya know that? Always encouraging me and being patient by waiting for my updates. School really takes a toll on my social life as well as my fanfiction time. Again, thanks a bunch! I love getting your reviews and knowing that my fics cheer you guys up!  
Note: ( ~Ancient Egyptian)  
  
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Yami emerged from the Millennium Puzzle around seven in the morning. He was careful not to wake his Aibou from his slumber. Yami looked down at the boy sound asleep and warm under the covers of his bed.   
  
'...I'll do my best to never leave you, Aibou...but I make no guarantees...'  
  
With that thought and one last look at his Aibou he shimmered out of the room, appearing downstairs. He quietly made his way to the front door, tip toeing past the sleeping Grandpa Mouto, who was sprawled out on the living room couch; none to pleasing to the average passerby might I add.   
  
Yami made a face, scrunching up his nose slightly, his mouth half open at the sight in front of him. Grandpa Mouto had popcorn kernels resting on his stomach, one of his hands held the remote control, and the other (which dangled over the couch), held a can of root beer; while a string of drool escaped from the side of his mouth, making its way down his chin and onto his stained shirt.  
  
'....Oh...dear...God....Please don't let anyone see him like this. Hell, what am I saying? Dear God don't tell me this is what my Aibou will become...'   
  
He shuddered at the thought and shook his head. He made sure to close the door as quietly behind him as possible.   
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu lay on her back, in her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She hadn't set her alarm clock to wake up at seven, she merely couldn't sleep...not with the thought of Yami going to the Museum today...  
  
'...I'm probably just overreacting...but I can't help but worry about him. Oh Yami, I hope that you'll be alright...'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami sighed as he walked down the street towards the museum. In the back of his mind was the thought that he would have to leave his Aibou, regardless of whether or not Yuugi had the Millennium Puzzle.   
  
'...It is quite possible that Pegasus is not the only one who wants the Millennium Puzzle...both my past and my future are still unclear to me. Was I erased from history? If so, why? And how did I come to be in the Millennium Puzzle? ...I pray that today I will finally know the answers to my questions. If this is a trap though...at least my Aibou and his friends will not be in danger any more because of me.'  
  
Yami looked down at the pendants in his hand as he waited for the light to light up that would read "WALK". His Aibou had told him earlier that it is not safe to just cross the street whenever one feels like it. He thought it was quite pointless to have to wait for the automobiles to go by, and it all had to do with those two lights: green and red.   
  
As he stood there waiting, his thoughts went to the meanings of the pendants. '...The Eye of Horus answered a few of my questions already...but what could this one have to do with me? ...I can't shake the feeling that it holds the answers to my past...if I only knew...'  
  
Yami noticed people hurrying past him as the light turned red and the traffic stopped. He sighed following after them and past the line of traffic waiting for the light to turn green.   
  
The light turned green as he made it to the sidewalk. He jumped back startled as he saw a car swerving all over the place (half of the car going up onto the side walk), missing him by only a couple of feet.   
  
Yami blinked and sweatdropped just standing there. What the hell is wrong with you?!, he started ranting, then stopped suddenly wondering where that came from...  
  
People around him were all curious to know what he said and if he was alright. Suddenly, he saw the driver of the car....  
  
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"Hahaha! ...Sorry about that, Yami!"  
  
The wind blew past Yami, who was in shock...  
  
"...Jounoucchi?????," he asked flatly.  
  
"Yeah! It's me....hehehehehe...sorry about that man, I'm going for my license!"  
  
"............" Yami leaned forward, looking over at the instructor.  
  
The instructor had a horrified look on his face and was twitching uncontrollably. His finger nails had left marks in the dash board on his side of the car, and his foot almost looked like it had gone for through the floor while searching for the break.  
  
"...Uh....good luck...," he managed to say. He wasn't saying good luck to Jounoucchi, however, he was saying good luck to the poor man beside him.   
  
"Thanks! Honda and I are going to play paintball on Tuesday, want in?"  
  
"...I'll see what I'm doing...," replied Yami, trying to take his eyes off of the pitiful mortal instructor.   
  
"Great! Well, see ya later!"   
  
Yami winced a few times as the car tires squealed, and took out a few mailboxes along the way as it sped out of sight.   
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami soon made his way to the museum. The clock at the museum struck half past seven. He was right on time. He quietly walked up the steps to the museum, he noticed that there was no one around at this hour; no tourists, no lines, not even a wandering duelist.   
  
'...How am I supposed to get in?," he wondered, reading the museum hours sign on the front door.  
  
Suddenly the door open opened as if magic, allowing him to enter.   
  
'...Can't turn around now...' He walked in cautiously and then turned his head to the side quickly when he heard the front door slam behind him, his back still to the door.   
  
Just as the Eye of Horus was about to appear on his forehead to light his path, the lights snapped on, creating a blinding light before him. He brought his arm up to face to cover his eyes, squinting, as a figure appeared before him.  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yuugi yawned as he sat up in bed. He then looked over at his alarm clock on his night stand and saw the time.   
  
"Cartoons!"   
  
With that he ran out of the room quickly. He got about half way down the stairs and then remembered Yami. He ran back upstairs quickly and into his room; quickly grabbing the Millennium Puzzle and shaking it.   
  
"C'mon Yami! Saturday morning cartoons start in a few minutes!"   
  
...But nothing happened...  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu sat at her desk, brushing her hair. She had just taken a shower not too long ago, thinking the warm water may clear her mind.   
  
'...It's no use...I still can't get my mind off of Yami...'  
  
She then looked over at her calendar, the date was circled...now, why was that? Realization then dawned on her, Jou was going for his license...for the third time...  
  
'...I'm sure he got it this time! I mean, third try's the charm right???'  
  
She suddenly heard a "CRASH" coming from outside. She quickly got out of her chair and ran over to the window. She stared in awe.  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Water now shot up (going in all directions), as Jou stepped out of his car and looked at the lopsided fire hydrant.   
  
"...Honest! It just jumped right out at me!"  
  
The instructor grabbed his water bottle and grabbed his Phenobarbital, placing it into his shaking hand.   
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Grandpa!?!?!," Yuugi yelled as he came running down the stairs in his pajamas.   
  
Grandpa Mouto was still passed out on the couch, a puddle of drool now backing up his story.   
  
"Grandpa?!" Yuugi stopped in front of his Grandpa and sweatdropped. "...Um...Grandpa????"  
  
...No reply...  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"...Pharaoh, I've waited a long time for you..."  
  
Yami managed to adjust his eyes, slowly lowering his arm from his face. "...How do you know me?," he asked, looking at the woman who stood in front of him.  
  
"...I'm not surprised you do not remember me. It has been 5,000 years after all...," she whispered, looking up at him and smiling.  
  
Yami arched an eyebrow. He had no memory of this woman, and how was it she knew he was once a Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt? He then noticed the light reflect off a certain piece of jewelry the woman wore; a tauk to be precise.  
  
"Wait...your tauk, it has the same symbol as my Millennium Puzzle...," he stated, placing a hand on his puzzle. (Remember, when they split off there's two puzzles ^.^).  
  
"...Hai, we are connected through these items. The millennium items to be precise. You are aware that Pegasus had the Millennium Eye, Ryou Bakura has the Millennium Ring, there is my millennium item, but there are still three more items.," she smiled at his confusion. "...My Pharaoh, these items were once held by the members of your most trusted council...when all seven items are brought together they create a force so powerful that no being can defeat it."  
  
Yami looked down at his puzzle, trying to absorb all of her words. "...It appears that you know a great deal about me, but I know nothing about you; merely that you hold a millennium item."  
  
"...My name is Isis Ishtar, my Pharaoh."  
  
Yami blinked as realization dawned on him. 'The other pendant...her name was Isis...is it fate that I meet this woman?'  
  
"Allow me to show you a piece of your past, my Pharaoh.," Isis whispered as she walked past him toward a stair way leading down.  
  
Yami followed her quietly, deep in his thoughts...  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"...Jounoucchi...you baka...," whispered Anzu out loud as she leaned on her window sill looking down, as a fire engine pulled up along side of the road and a fire fighter got out, shaking his head. '...It's amazing the instructor is still standing, he keeps popping pills every few minutes...'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Grandpa Mouto jumped off the couch after a bucket of cold water was dumped on him.  
  
"WHO?! WHAT?! WHERE?! WHEN?!," the old man yelled, looking like a drowned rat.  
  
Yuugi tried not to laugh at the sight in front of him, instead he decided to focus on the real question. "Grandpa, have you seen Yami??? He's missing!"  
  
"...He's..what????"  
  
"...Missing..."  
  
Grandpa Mouto quickly turned on the TV, and sat in a chair, since the couch was now wet; courtesy of Yuugi.  
  
"...Grandpa...," Yuugi started, watching the old man who was flipping through the channels. "...What are you doing???"  
  
"Checking the news, my boy. If Yami is truly out wandering the city alone, our best bet on finding him would be to check all the local news channels."  
  
"...Grandpa! He's not a menace to society, ya know!"  
  
"All the same, my boy...it's best that we check."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami followed Isis down the stairs, which lead to a dark hallway. His Eye of Horus lit up their way as the continued down the hallway.  
  
"...It would appear that you remember how to use some of your power...all is not lost then..."  
  
"What do you mean, Isis?"  
  
"You will know soon enough, my Pharaoh, soon enough."  
  
He continued to walk next to her, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. Isis noticed him watching her and arched an eye brow.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"...Nothing...gomen nasai..."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu watched as the fire truck drove off and down the street. She rested her elbows on the windowsill, resting her chin in her hands.   
  
'...Yami....I wish I could be with you right now. I wish I at least knew if you were alright,' she thought with a sigh.  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Sooooooo, teach....where's the form to fill out my license????," Jou asked, practically dancing around the instructor.  
  
The instructor starting laughing like a maniac, pointing at Jou, before popping another pill; he was still twitching throughout the whole thing.  
  
"....Are you ok????," asked Jou, taking a step back from the instructor.  
  
"Fine! Happy, Happy!," yelled the instructor as he took off running down the street.  
  
"....Strange guy...." He then looked ahead to see that they were in front of Anzu's house (remember Jou is a lil slow). "Hey! I can say hi to Anzu..." He started toward the house and then remembered. "HEY! My license! COME BACK!!!"   
  
With that Jou took off running after the sedated instructor...  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu shook her head as she watched Jou run after the poor crazed instructor.   
  
She really did pity the poor man. It reminded her of the time Jou took her and Yuugi for a ride with Grandpa Mouto. Poor Grandpa Mouto nearly had heart failure, Yuugi's face slid down the windshield, while she had held onto the back of the passenger's seat.  
  
Her phone rang suddenly, causing her to stray from her thoughts. She reached over and picked it up.   
  
"Moshimoshi?"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey, Anzu. It's Yuugi. Have you seen, Yami??? I can't find him anywhere!"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Huh??? I can't hear you!"   
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Grandpa! Turn the TV down! I can't hear Anzu!"   
  
Grandpa sighed and turned down his Jean Claude Van Damme movie.  
  
"I thought you were supposed to be watching the news, Grandpa?"  
  
"....It's a commercial at the moment!"  
  
"....Right....," Yuugi sighed, "...Can you hear me now, Anzu?"  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hai, now I can. What was it you said before?," she asked, taking a seat on her bed.  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I can't find Yami anywhere! Do you know where he is? I thought he might be with you or Jou, or maybe even Honda...but he's not...and I can't imagine him going with Jou for his driver's test."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu didn't know what to say. She had promised Yami that she wouldn't tell Yuugi about his search for his past, or that he was going to the museum to meet some woman. That was another thing...what did this woman want with Yami? Ha! She couldn't possibly want to date him...could she????   
  
Anzu shook that thought out of her mind. Not like she would care if Yami got a girlfriend anyway...right???  
  
"...Um...Yami told me yesterday he had some things he needed to do..."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Are you sure it's nothing? You've been watching me ever since you got here. Do I alarm you?," Isis asked, as she walked along side of him down the endless hallway.  
  
"...I'm not very trusting...," he replied, keeping his eyes on the darkness ahead of them, the Eye of Horus lighting their way with every step.  
  
"We all need someone to trust, my Pharaoh.," whispered Isis, "...Although we never can be sure when that trust may be broken, is it better to keep those we love at arms length?"  
  
"...If you are protecting them, hai. I am well aware that you know more about me than you are letting on. For starters, how you knew I was in Japan, or that my soul had been released for that matter."  
  
"My Millennium Tauk shows me images of the past and of the future," she began, motioning that they were close to the room she wished to show him, "It wanted me to find you, so I could tell of what is to come."  
  
"...And that would be?" Yami asked, arching an eye brow.  
  
"...You'll see...we're here now...," she walked towards a tablet hanging on the wall of a small room.  
  
Yami followed her into the room, looking around cautiously incase it was indeed a trap.  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What kind of things, Anzu?" Yuugi asked, worry evident in his voice.   
  
He moved into the kitchen because Grandpa had gone back to his kick boxer movie. He looked down at the bottom of one of his footy pajamas (ya know the kind you wore when you were lil the p.j.'s with the footies!).  
  
'...EEEEEEW...cheese dip???'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"...Um...guy things?" Anzu sweatdropped, she didn't know what else to say. But did guy things really sound good??? She could have said "Yami things". But that too could have been taken the wrong way.  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"....Anzu, if Yami made you promise not to tell, I understand, but I'm really worried about him. I've never not known where he is before. I worry about him, he's not only my friend but he's a part of my family."  
  
He sat down on a chair in the kitchen after grabbing a paper towel to clean his pajama footy.  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"....I promise, that he's alright, Yuugi. In fact, I'm sure that he'll be home soon.," she stated trying to be assuring; she crossed her fingers though as she said it. '...I'd hate to think that I'm lying to you, Yuugi. Please don't make me a liar, Yami.'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"...What is it, Isis?" Yami asked, "Why have you brought me here?"  
  
"One moment my Pharaoh, and it will all become clear to you," replied Isis as she brought a candle toward the tablet, lighting it with a match quickly and then blowing the match out.  
  
The candle light lit the small room. She motioned for him to look at the tablet in front of him.  
  
Yami followed her motions and his eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"That's...me!" He walked up to the tablet, running his fingers over the image of the Pharaoh.  
  
"...Correct, my Pharaoh." She brought the candle closer to help him see. "Above you are three monsters far greater than any duel monsters ever created..."  
  
Yami followed her gaze and blinked at what he saw. "...They're enormous...," he stated, his eyes locked on the three mighty beasts.  
  
"...Together these three could destroy the world...but...they also are the key to restoring your memories. By your birth right they belong to you, my Pharaoh."  
  
Yami was lost. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, let alone comprehend what it was she was saying.  
  
"...How can these? What are they? Linked to my memories?"  
  
"I know it is a lot for you to absorb, your memories faded a long time ago. I will tell you as much as I can. These three monsters you see before you are called the Egyptian God cards. Their names," she began, pointing to each one, "Obelisk the tormentor, Osiris the spirit dragon, and Ra the god of the sun. They are the most powerful of all the duel monsters. These three cards exist. A battle will soon begin and you will face another holder of a millennium item; you will need to collect all three of the Egyptian God cards...when you do, I will find you...and your memories will be restored..."  
  
"Who is this holder? What millennium item does he or she have? How will I find the cards?," Yami asked, losing his patience.  
  
"I cannot say anymore," Isis stated, "you may wish to look at this one tablet though before you leave..."  
  
"Wait, stop being cryptic how do I..." When he turned around she was gone, and he was left in the darkness once more.  
  
Yami looked toward the tablet she had mentioned; the Eye of Horus appeared brighter on his forehead.  
  
"...This tablet....it's me...and..."  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yuugi sat in front of the couch, eating his cinnamon toast crunch and watching Pokemon. He sighed, not really interested in this week's episode.  
  
He heard the front door open and close quietly. He stood up quickly when he saw Yami.  
  
"Yami! Yami, where have you been I was so worried about you?!" He ran up to Yami and hugged him.   
  
"Gomen Nasai, Aibou. I did not mean to worry you." He looked down at him, patting his head. '...Thus the reason why I can't tell you who I really am...and that I must leave you...'  
  
@-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That's it for now! Please review! Ja ne 


	17. Chapter 17: Away from me

Asuka02RedEva  
serenitymoon@lycos.com  
disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi Oh! or any of the characters used in this story; however the story is mine so please do not steal.  
  
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long time, ne? i've been very busy so my apologies. I hope that you will all enjoy this chapter of my story and I hope to get good reviews. thank you and enjoy.   
  
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Yami sighed softly as he pushed back Yuugi's bangs away from his eyes as he slept peacefully.   
  
'...You'll be alright without me, Aibou. Your wish was always to have friends, and I have made it so...but now your life will be threatened if I am to remain with you, and I just cannot take that chance.,' thought Yami as he sat on the edge of Yuugi's bed.  
  
The moonlight shown in through the slits in the blinds, falling on the two and the bed. Yami sighed softly once more, only wishing to keep these feelings and the image of his Aibou carefree and happy.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu looked out her window at the night sky and the stars shining brightly.  
  
'...I hope that Yami came home safely. I didn't hear anything from Yuugi, so I assume everything went well.'  
  
She watched as a shooting star shot across the sky, only to disappear from her view. She went back to her bed and lay down on her side, resting her head on her pillow.   
  
'...Will I ever tell him?,' she thought to herself before her eyes fell slowly.  
  
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Yami sat on the window seat, looking at the deck he and Yuugi had made. He came across the dark magician and a half smile played on his lips.  
  
'...You've always been there for me, my old friend...'  
  
He continued to look through the remainder of the deck, only to have memories surface; each card held a special meaning to the two. The deck, after all, had both of their hearts in it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Morning soon came, as the sun light fell upon Yuugi's face and he rubbed his eyes, yawning. He looked around the room, once his eyes focused...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Grandpa?! Grandpa?!," Yuugi came flying down the stairs nearly tripping over his own two feet, he was so frantic.  
  
Grandpa blinked, he had made pancakes and was getting out the plates to set the table. "What's wrong, Yuugi?"  
  
"Grandpa! Have you seen my puzzle?!," he yelled, out of breath, as he ran into the kitchen.  
  
"What? Isn't it in your room?" Grandpa set down the plates, knowing that the matter at hand was quite serious.  
  
"No! It's just gone!" Tears started to swell up in his eyes. "...Yami..."  
  
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'...I feel so terrible...to leave without saying a word...how must he feel now? Will he understand? ...Or will he think the worst? One thing is for sure, his friends will help him to forget...'  
  
Yami continued at a steady pace as he put more distance between himself and the game shop. His boots made a soft clicking sound on the pavement as he walked; the deck he and Yuugi had worked so hard to make, resting in the side of his belt.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu, Honda, and Jou soon arrived at the game shop, all confused as to why Yuugi had called them and told them to come quickly.   
  
'....Nothing could have happened, it just couldn't have...,' thought Anzu, trying to stay optomistic as she sat on the couch, playing with her hands nervously.   
  
"Yuug, what's going on?," asked Jou as he could see how upset Yuugi was when he entered the livingroom.  
  
"C'mon Yuugi, you can tell us anything.," stated Honda, taking a seat next to Jou.  
  
Yuugi looked as if he had been broken into a million pieces, and no one could ever mend all the breaks. In reality, he was heart broken...  
  
"...Yami's...gone...," he whispered, so quietly that the three almost did not hear his words.  
  
"What?!," both Jou and Honda yelled, jumping out of their seats in disbelief.  
  
Anzu felt her heart stop for a moment and her breath get caught in her throat. She couldn't have just heard Yuugi correctly; there had to be some mistake.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Grandpa sighed softly listening as Yuugi told them all he knew. 'I sometimes wonder if I were wrong to have given the puzzle to Yuugi in the first place? ...Could it be that only pain and sorrow are to follow the owner of the puzzle?'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami's reflection caught his attention as he walked past a shop window. It looked sad and lonely, broken just like Yuugi's. He looked away and sighed, walking down the side walk once more.  
  
'...I remember feeling this way when I sealed the evil force with the shadow realm so long ago...utterly alone...'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"...He's gone...and I don't know why. When I woke up both the Millennium Puzzle and my dueling deck were gone...," Yuugi whispered, tears running down his cheeks.  
  
"Someone must have stolen them, that's gotta be it!," encouraged Jou.  
  
"He's right, Yuugi. I mean, there are lots of people who want your puzzle, we've just gotta find out who took it.," replied Honda.  
  
"...No...," whispered Yuugi as he looked down at the carpet, "...he left me...and I don't know why...I must have done something wrong, he's been so distant lately."  
  
"No!," yelled Anzu, quickly standing up, trying to hold back tears of her own. "You could never have done something wrong, Yuugi. Yami loves you! You're like a brother to him!," she looked away suddenly at her outburst. "...He wouldn't just leave you without a good reason...he's not like that..."  
  
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'...Am I to constantly go through each life losing all that I hold dear? And for what? A greater good? ...Why must I give it all up? ...Is it selfish to want to remain with my Aibou, and his loved ones? His loved ones? ...No, my lov--...'  
  
He shook his head, suddenly, to clear his mind of the thought...  
  
'...What right do I have to think such things?'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Everyone stood in silence for a moment, taking in what Anzu had said.  
  
"...Anzu, I don't know what other reason Yami would have for leaving me. I thought he loved me as much as I love him, but I did something wrong and now---"  
  
"Stop it, Yuugi! Just stop it!," yelled Anzu, tears streaming her face, "I won't let you say or even think things like that! It's not true! He must be trying to protect you, he must!"  
  
"Protect him from what?," asked Jou, arching an eye brow.  
  
"...I'm not sure...but he wouldn't just leave! He wouldn't do that!"   
  
With that she ran out of the living room and out the front door, heading down the street in hopes of somehow finding him...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Anzu! Wait for --"  
  
Grandpa held out his arm in front of Jou and Honda. "...Perhaps she merely needs some time to understand what has happened. It seems that she cares for Yami as well."   
  
With that he went over to Yuugi and led him into the kitchen. "Come along, my boy. We must keep our minds occupied until Yami returns to us."  
  
Jou and Honda both sighed, taking a seat on the couch.  
  
"...This sucks!," yelled Jou, punching his fist in a couch cushion.  
  
"...I can't believe this...it's just too much. Everything was finally getting better and BANG this has to happen... Maybe Yuugi is right, maybe Yami doesn't care and---"  
  
"Shut up, Honda! I don't care what Yuugi thinks, I can't believe that Yami would just do this to him for no good reason. I mean, look at all the times Yami came to our rescue, and now to just leave? It doesn't add up."  
  
"...I guess you're right, Jou. What can we do though?"  
  
"....Just be here for Yuug...that's all we can do....," replied Jou with a sigh.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anzu hugged a tree trunk, as she found herself out of breath, and that she could no longer run.  
  
'...Why? Why did you leave? ...What happened to you yesterday?," so many thoughts ran through her mind. '...You can't be gone, Yami...you just can't, I have to tell you...'  
  
She closed her eyes tightly as her tears were mixed with memories. Her memories consisted of all the times Yami had been there for her, all the times he had never let her down, and all the times she had felt safe with him.  
  
"...Please, Please," she whispered, "...come back..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'...I have no choice, I must leave...'  
  
Yami recalled what Isis had told him...  
  
~~Flash back~~  
  
"Oh my Pharaoh, this new enemy will find you...he's coming for you even as we speak. This city is filling up with people who work for him.," whispered Isis, as she took his hands in hers.  
  
"...So what you're telling me is that my host and his loved ones are in danger as long as I remain with them?," asked Yami, looking down at his hands in hers. He trusted her, yet he had no personal recollection of her from the past, he knew what she spoke was the truth.   
  
"Yes, my Pharaoh. I am even in grave danger for having told you what I know. I cannot tell you how to live your life, only that the events of the past will happen once more. You now have the choice to spare the ones around you the great sorrow that will soon come..."  
  
~~End of Flash back~~  
  
'...I will not risk their lives in order to fill in a piece I lost so long ago...my happiness does not matter...perhaps it is merely fate that I am never to know true happiness.'  
  
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Anzu had lost hope of finding Yami. She had wandered the city througout most of the day and there had been no sign of him.  
  
'...He's really gone...," she thought, '...I guess the only thing left to do now is to go home...'  
  
Her attention was suddenly drawn to the pier. The sun was setting over the water and she remembered a time not so long ago when she and Yami had talked...now, however, it did feel as though a great chunk of time had past. For once in her life, she felt lonely...a piece of her was missing...  
  
Feeling her vision starting to get blurry once more from tears, she sighed and started to pass the pier when something caught her attention. There, standing on the pier, was a lone figure, leaning up against the rail as if saying his final good byes...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami sighed as he watched the sun set on the water; how the waves rippled, causing the sun set's reflection to blur.   
  
'...Perhaps someday I shall return to this place, if fate so wishes it...but for now, I mustn't think of such false hopes. I must only know that my Aibou and his friends are safe from harm...'  
  
As he turned around his eyes fell on a familiar face...  
  
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Anzu let the tears flow as she quickly wrapped her arms around him. It felt so good to know that he was alright and that she could just hold him in her arms, if only for a little while.  
  
"...I thought you left, I told Yuugi that you wouldn't just leave, I---"  
  
She was cut short however when Yami gently pushed her away from him.  
  
"I did leave, Anzu.," he whispered, looking away from her, the sight pained him, "...I was merely saying my good byes and hoping that I may some day come back to this place..."  
  
Anzu couldn't believe what she had just heard, it was as if someone had shattered her heart, and she could hear every piece hit the floor and shatter before her very eyes.  
  
"...No, no you can't mean that...You can't just leave. I won't let you!," she cried, moving forward to wrap her arms around him once more.  
  
Yami sighed and shook his head. "No Anzu, this is good bye, you cannot stop me, and I will not allow you to shed tears for me. I am merely a burden for Yuugi and the rest of you..."  
  
Anzu stared at him in disbelief. "You can't actually believe that! We don't think of you as a burden we lo--," she looked down. "....Yuugi loves you, Yami. ...and....so do...."  
  
Yami knew what it was she wished to say, for it was as clear to him as a crystal pool. He brought his hand up to her cheek, carefully wiping away her tears. "No, Anzu.," he whispered, shaking his head, "...No, you don't...you don't know me...or what I am. You know nothing of what is to come if I do not leave you now."  
  
"We mean nothing to you?," she asked, her voice cracking from her crying.  
  
"...Quite the opposite...you mean so much to me that I will not watch each and every one of you die, when it is in my power to save you."  
  
"Die? But I'm sure we could talk to the police or..." She knew it was just wishful thinking, her heart told her that much and that nothing she could do would change his mind. "...Why do you have to be so selfless? You should have told Yuugi! He thinks that you hate him!," she yelled, tears clouding her vision.  
  
Yami's eyes widened, it felt as if someone had drove a knife through his heart. "...Aibou, thinks...I..."  
  
"He doesn't understand, Yami. None of us do! We don't care about your past. We want to help you if something is coming to threaten you...we just want you to---"   
  
She blinked as she was pulled into his arms. She realized then that he really didn't want to leave them at all, that he was merely doing what his heart told him was right...  
  
Yami rested his chin on her shoulder and held her. It was true, leaving them would be one of the hardest things he had ever had to do...but watching them die would be even harder...  
  
"...Gomen nasai, Anzu...I never meant to hurt you, Aibou, or the others..."  
  
"...I know, Yami...," she whispered as she too rested her chin on his shoulder, her arms wrapped around him tightly. "...I know..."  
  
"I would never have been able to leave if I had told Yuugi about my past. He would only worry about me...this way, I hope that in time he will be able to forget about me. Will you please help him for me?"  
  
"...I can't!," she tried to yell in between tears, "He'll never forget you, never! ...And neither will I..."  
  
"...Then please help him to understand, that you all mean so much to me that I will not risk your lives for my selfish ways..."  
  
"...Oh, Yami. It's not selfish to want to be happy, or to have people who care about you."  
  
"...You mean a great deal to me, Anzu; I will always cherish the times we shared together..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A light fog had begun to roll in, a summer storm on its way...  
  
"Don't make it sound so final please."  
  
He gently let go of her and moved back a ways so he could get a good look at her.  
  
"You should get home now, Anzu. It looks like it's going to rain soon.," he stated with a small smile.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"...Please, Yami," she started, standing before him. "..Please promise you'll come back..."  
  
He took her hand in his and watched her eyes. They seemed so afraid and confused, he wished there was a way to reassure her, but for now, one little lie could go unaccountable for...  
  
"I promise I will come back. Back to Aibou and to you, you have my word.," he stated in a tone that was as optomistic and assuring as he could make it.  
  
He would do anything to set her mind at ease; he only hoped that his statement would become the truth, but for now, it seemed hopeless.  
  
Anzu looked up at him and smiled, squeezing his hand in hers. She leaned in to kiss his cheek, as a single stray tear rolled down her cheek.   
  
Yami rested his cheek against hers, trying to hold onto the moment for only a little longer. To only remember the feeling of being cared about, and hoping that he would know that feeling again (that it wouldn't be a long time before he returned).   
  
As he moved away from her, he leaned forward placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.  
  
Anzu felt her cheeks grow warmer as she forced a smile, just for him.   
  
"Take care of yourself, Anzu.," he whispered before walking past her. "...Good bye..."  
  
She stood on the pier, her back toward the direction he just taken off in.  
  
"Don't say good bye, Yami. Say 'see you later'."  
  
However, she heard no reply. When she turned around to scold him, she found that the fog had rolled in and that his form had been completely concealed...  
  
"...This isn't good bye...," she whispered before heading home in the fog, rain clouds forming over head.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yami, however, had heard her words. As he continued walking out of the city of Domino, he held his hand up and waved for a moment.  
  
"...See you later, Anzu...I love you..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The End?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That's it! I really hope that you enjoyed my story! Do you sense a sequel? Would you like to see a sequel in the fall? Let me know, and have a GREAT summer! I just want to say thank you to all my loyal readers, you mean the world to me, honest! Check out my Easter ygo fic if you like, for some humor, I've started a holiday set of ygo fanfics, I'm so mean to Yami. ^.^ As always, reviews are welcome, comments, etc. Good luck to everyone this summer and may God bless you and keep you safe. Ja Ne 


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